5 everyday objects that could hide cameras and microphones

The first “Mission: Impossible” movie felt like a near-future world in terms of spy technology. But with how quickly the medium is advancing, that original film seems pretty quaint compared to what we can now do with nothing more than access to Amazon. There is an entire industry of spy tools and gadgets that can be used for all sorts of nefarious purposes. And it is for this reason that a counter-industry is emerging to help consumers protect themselves from all kinds of espionage.

There are content creators and articles explaining ways to stay safe and tools you can use to protect yourself, especially when traveling. Even something as simple as your smartphone can spy on your activities, and that’s not even talking about all the smart tech and accessories that are spying on you as you read this.

With cameras and microphones getting smaller and smaller, you might be surprised how easy it is for home devices to turn against you. From everyday gadgets to devices you don’t even think about, there are plenty of things that could easily be spying on you right now. Perhaps the most concerning thing is that every gadget item featured here can be picked up on Amazon.

Everyone probably has a USB charging brick. Until smartphone manufacturers stopped including chargers, these devices came with almost every phone and small gadget. These little wall warts cost a dime, and many people probably have a junk drawer with a few of them. Most of us don’t even think about those USB charging bricks, but maybe you should.

It’s incredibly easy to house a camera and microphone inside these charging bricks. With Wi-Fi chips also being so small, a basic USB charging brick can record video and audio while also streaming it to another device. This discreet little hidden camera could fool anyone, and I wouldn’t think twice if it was left plugged into a wall while visiting an Airbnb, or even inside my own home. There are even models with night vision for additional surveillance capabilities. You might own one of these devices without knowing it, after purchasing one from a questionable retailer or simply being given one by a stranger when you needed it.

While some may already know not to blindly trust a random USB charging brick, there is another device in almost every room of a house, Airbnb, and hotel that could be spying on you. They can even be found in bathrooms, and you’ve probably never thought about them unless they beep due to low battery. The modest smoke detector can easily house cameras and microphones, thanks to a number of factors.

These devices are usually large, and because they are mounted high, most people never think about them. While most detectors use a 9V battery, many can plug directly into their own power supply and are hardwired into a home. This allows them to potentially be modified to provide constant power to monitoring devices. This creates a relatively unique situation: they can potentially run non-stop, unlike many other monitoring devices that rely on batteries that need to be recharged and can die. Since smoke detectors are installed high up, it is difficult to remove and check them, especially in a location with high ceilings and a lack of available ladders.

If you saw a set of car keys on a kitchen counter or in a bedroom, you probably wouldn’t think twice. But if there’s a random key fob in an Airbnb or house you’re visiting, it could be spying on you. A company that makes such a device claims that the keychain is intended to be used as a nanny camera for home protection, but it could easily be used for nefarious purposes due to its harmless appearance. Since most people have a spare set of keys, it wouldn’t be uncommon to see a random key fob left in an Airbnb, even in a place like the master bedroom.

Users who purchased one of these devices from Amazon praise how the keychain goes unnoticed and records images for over six hours. Others have reported using the key fob to catch people going through their purses, making it a great tool for your own protection and documentation of evidence.

The problem with everyday items is that they are so common that we never think twice about them. And nothing is more common in any room than a framed photo or piece of art. Now imagine an Airbnb or hotel room where framed art is in every room. I never thought to inspect a framed photo – their goal is to blend seamlessly into a space.

The idea of ​​these devices is to monitor elderly caregivers, pets, guardians, etc. But the possibility of bad actors taking advantage of it is extremely high. A person could easily replace a standard photo of your house with a generic black frame that has a built-in camera. When was the last time you took the time to inspect a random family photo that was sitting on your mantelpiece or on a cluttered shelf? A bad actor could easily swap one of my family photos and I wouldn’t know anything about it.

We’ve talked about devices that all require some form of energy to operate. Although these everyday items are rather harmless, those who take their security seriously can at least physically check these devices. You can move them, put them in a drawer or cover them. But what about when that hidden camera is hiding in the most common place possible: inside a wall outlet?

These outlets are found in every room, and often, in multiple locations – from shin height to raised kitchen and bathroom sinks, or even the wall in many cases. You can avoid all the spy devices listed so far with a little effort, but a wall outlet is entirely different, especially in a hotel or Airbnb. I would never think to check or unscrew every wall outlet to look for a hidden camera, but at least a few pieces of masking tape can provide peace of mind in a pinch.