A Milwaukee couple said hackers broke into their smart home devices and raised the thermostat while blasting vulgar music through the wireless electronics, a report said.
Samantha and Lamont Westmoreland, who purchased a Google’s Nest camera in 2018, experienced the shocking breach on Sept. 17, they told FOX 6.
“It gives me the chills just talking about it,” Samantha told the network, describing the virtual intrusion that began when she returned from work to a scorching home with the thermostat set at 90 degrees.
She turned the temperature back down, chalking it up to a one-time malfunction.
But soon after, somebody started speaking through her kitchen security camera.
Then she heard vulgar music coming from the same device.
“It’s supposed to make me feel safe, and I didn’t feel safe,” said Samantha said of her Nest system.
“My heart was racing. I felt so violated at that point.”
Samantha said she unplugged the camera and turned it around.
Her husband later changed their passwords, but the invasions continued.
The couple eventually ended the encroachments by contacting their internet provider and changing their network ID, the report said.
They are frustrated that such an expensive system was jeopardized.
“If someone hacks into your Wi-Fi, they shouldn’t be able to have access to those Nest devices without some sort of wall they have to get over,” Lamont told the network.
“Maybe there’s some steps we should take,” said Lamont. “I think Nest should be tightening security.”
A Google spokesperson said the Nest was not breached.
“These reports are based on customers using compromised passwords (exposed through breaches on other websites),” the spokesperson said.
“In nearly all cases, two-factor verification eliminates this type of security risk.”
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