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Attention, parents: Baby monitor hacked; default password to blame?

The device was reportedly controlled by the hacker, who also had off-color remarks to make to the sleeping child.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger

Parents with baby monitors might want to listen up.

A Houston couple on Tuesday revealed to ABC News that earlier this month, the baby monitor they use for their daughter was hacked. Upon taking control over the monitor, the hacker reportedly shouted obscenities at their sleeping 2-year-old daughter. Before the parents could unplug the monitor, the hacker also shouted at them.

The baby monitor connected to the family's Wi-Fi network. Although the story didn't say which vendor made the hacked monitor, CNET sister site ZDNet says that the video on the story appears to include an image of the Foscam FI9821P. It's not clear, however, if that was indeed the camera the family used.

According to ZDNet, if it was the Foscam monitor, that device comes with a default username and password that are both "admin." If that's not changed, hackers who know how to access a person's network could possibly gain access to the monitor.

CNET has contacted Foscam to determine if its monitor was used in the hack and if it had any comment on the matter. We will update this story when we have more information.