In the late months of 2013, a new device hit the market that changed home security as we knew it.

Doorbot was created by an entrepreneur named Jamie Siminoff.

Jamie’s goal was a tall order.

He was aiming to create a doorbell with video to increase home security.

Not only would a camera be included, but Doorbot would send instant phone notifications whenever someone pushed the button. It would have its own mobile app and a battery that would last an entire year.

Within a year of Doorbot’s release, Jamie and his team had sold over 20,000 units in 85 countries.

It was a complete success.

Since then, Doorbot has rebranded to its more popular name, Ring Video Doorbell, which continues to grow exponentially. In 2018 Ring was purchased by Amazon for 839 million dollars, and in 2020 alone, Ring sold over 1.4 million units.

In the wake of their success, many other video doorbell brands have hit the market.

As with all new technologies comes the age-old question “Is it safe?”.

Can your video doorbell be trusted with your home security? Most importantly, is it vulnerable to being hacked?

Let’s take a look.

It’s Not the Doorbell That’s the Problem

When asking whether or not a video doorbell is a trusted home security device, it’s essential to understand a key detail.

It’s not the device that’s inherently vulnerable to a sophisticated attack.

The question isn’t whether or not the device is secure.

The question is whether or not your Wi-Fi is secure.

If your Wi-Fi security is weak, any device connected to that network is vulnerable to a host of different cyberattacks, no matter how intense the password may be.

Depending on what devices are connected, any personal information is vulnerable to attack. If other Wi-Fi-based cameras are in your house, hackers can observe what you’re doing, which is a popular method of attack.

Once a hacker is in, they can potentially steal your identity, hold your files hostage, or even blackmail you with video taken straight off your security cameras.

And yes, this includes your video doorbell.

So with this in mind, make sure that your Wi-Fi is secure. If you’re a PogoZone customer and concerned about security, give our support team a call and we’ll walk you through the basics.

Conclusion

In 2015, Ring partnered with the Los Angeles Police Department to give 500 homeowners free video doorbells in a study to learn how helpful the doorbells were in improving home security.

The results? A 55% decrease in burglaries for the remainder of the year in the area of focus.

So when asking the question, “Is my video doorbell safe?” the first area to address is your Wi-Fi security.

All at-home cybersecurity boils down to the strength and security of your Wi-Fi network.

Once that is protected, your video doorbell is not only secure but has been shown to increase home security.

Do some research and decide the level of cybersecurity appropriate for your home.

Once you do, take advantage of the security provided by these new technologies.

In the worst case, your home will be better protected.

And in the best case, you may end up with some hilarious videos that you can find floating around the internet captured by video doorbells.