V3 Pan Moving on it's own after power outage

[xeleena]

Greetings.

So I am puzzled. I have around 15 or 16 V3 pans. I lost power at 3 AM 2 nights ago. I didn’t notice at first but 2 of my cams, the front door cam, and 1 of my balcony cams had moved a lot on their own. The front door cam was turned to face the wall and the only moveable camera on the balcony was panned up away from the sliding glass doors. Now I live on the 3rd floor so yeah if someone was hacking through my two factor authentication and purposely pointing my cams away from ingress points then they would need a very big ladder for my balcony. The front door would require access through a security door first. So maybe not the easiest target for some capable hacker and thief.

So what gives? No other camera was affected.

[Seapup]

Powercycling a Cam Pan results in the cam returning to a default position. Try this… for the 2 cams at issue: go to Wyze app Home > your cam > Settings (gear icon upper right) > Advanced Settings > Motor Controls > Reset (tap the Reset button). Do your 2 cams point where you expected?

[xeleena]

@Seapup

Powercycling a Cam Pan results in the cam returning to a default position. Try this… for the 2 cams at issue: go to Wyze app Home > your cam > Settings (gear icon upper right) > Advanced Settings > Motor Controls > Reset (tap the Reset button). Do your 2 cams point where you expected?

Hellos.

Thank you for your reply. This was the first thing I tried when I noticed them. No it did absolutely nothing, The camera that was pointed at the wall definitely was not in a default position. All of the cameras have the same firmware version, and are on the same network and power source. All of the cameras lost power and every camera is moved from its default position by me intentionally. Yet, only those two were affected.

[Seapup]

@xeleena

No it did absolutely nothing,

Did nothing as in it stayed in current position? I.e., when you hit the Reset on the front door cam, it still faced the wall?

[xeleena]

@Seapup

Did nothing as in it stayed in current position? I.e., when you hit the Reset on the front door cam, it still faced the wall?

Yes did not move a millimeter.

It’s the bottom cam that was facing the wall.

[Seapup]

Then that IS the default position as mounted. If you wish to correct this, you need to do the following: Hit the reset button, reorient your cam to your desired view WITHOUT manually panning or tilting the cam. I.e., loosen the cam to mount screw, reorient, tighten cam-to-mount screw, recheck view.

[xeleena]

@Seapup

Then that IS the default position as mounted. If you wish to correct this, you need to do the following: Hit the reset button, reorient your cam to your desired view WITHOUT manually panning or tilting the cam. I.e., loosen the cam to mount screw, reorient, tighten cam-to-mount screw, recheck view.

I know what you’re saying but that is not the default position. Also the other cam similarly did nothing when hitting reset.Also as a note it was pointed at the wall at an angle not perfectly straight, and the camera was angled in an odd manner. That would not be a default positiion either I wouldn’t think.

[Seapup]

Then try this… for front door cam, pull the power adapter, plug back in and see where the cam points to.

[xeleena]

Hi thank you again for your reply.

[Seapup]

Are those the problem cams and is the end orientation as expected after powering up?

[xeleena]

@Seapup

Are those the problem cams and is the end orientation as expected after powering up?

Hellos again.

The bottom cam is the front door problem cam. The other one is outside on the balcony. Yes they both orientate correctly in this video.

[Seapup]

Excellent, and thank you for posting the helpful video. From your video, it appears that a powercycle correctly cycles cams and returns orientation to your default.

Now try going to Wyze app Home > your front door cam. Wait until you see an actual live stream. Then go to settings > Advanced Settings > Motor Controls > tap the Reset button.

[xeleena]

@Seapup

Excellent, and thank you for posting the helpful video. From your video, it appears that a powercycle correctly cycles cams and returns orientation to your default.

Now try going to Wyze app Home > your front door cam. Wait until you see an actual live stream. Then go to settings > Advanced Settings > Motor Controls > tap the Reset button.

Hellos.

In doing so it goes to exactly the default position I thought I had installed it as. Seems right.

As an additional note. I just went outside to see if maybe a common denominator was both cameras were upside down, but that is not the case.

[Seapup]

@xeleena

In doing so it goes to exactly the default position I thought I had installed it as. Seems right.

Sorry for the delay… had to tend to family drama.

In that last test, your front door cam is correctly returning to the factory default position, but please note that it is in a different position from your set default position in previous video. There are 2 default positions… one is factory default (your last screenshot), the other is user default (your video). Tapping the “Reset” button in Settings results in returning to factory default. A powercycle results in cam returning to user’s last position. Thank you for bearing with me while I ensured those two features work properly.

You indicated that your front door cam was facing the wall upon power restoration 2 nights ago. That does not seem normal. I don’t know if that anomaly is a firmware bug or whatnot. But if you’re concerned that 2 of your cams were hacked, please contact the Wyze Security Team by sending an email to: security@wyze.com providing as much detail as you can. You may also wish to include a link to your topic here for reference.

[Seapup]

I just thought of something… not sure if I can simulate/test this theory today, but should have time tomorrow. A power outage results in cam “cycling”. If you watch your video, you’ll see that at some point during the cycle’s range of motion, the cam faces the wall. If power was lost briefly and quickly returned, cam will start cycling. If during cycling, the power was cut for an extended period of time interrupting the cycle leaving cam facing wall, would cam take last position (facing wall) as new user default position? That’s an interesting theory and I hope to test this out for you!

[xeleena]

Hellos again,

I too apologize for the delay. I wanted to check some logs before I replied.

As far as I can tell by cross referencing my local cloud and router logs the power would have been out only momentarily. That rings true to past history as well. Usually only a very brief reset of power.

In thinking about what you said about extended outage and returning to a spot it was left in.

Well, as I mentioned before the camera was facing the wall, but not at a 180 degree opposite from the default position. it was off to the side some and angled down more than I usually have it. The position is not in the reset path that you saw on power cycle.

That being said, I think maybe not the case.

The outside camera was panned up and outward away from the sliding glass door. Maybe in a reset path, I would have to go cycle to see.

Am I worried about being hacked. No, not really, I am 55, pretty handy with networking, CLI linux, and generally anything related to computers. If someone got into my local lan then they are very good at either guessing a very complicated password, or they currently or should be working for the government. Then to setup say Tinycam and add my cameras, and move them. Well. To what end? Only those two were affected. I also checked the devices on my network. Yes there are a lot but even the offline devices do not seem out of order. I will going forward match the MAC address to the devices I haven’t used in a while in the drawer just to rule it out, but I suspect everything is good.

If they got through the WYZE website and the two factor authentication on my account, well then they again should be working for the government, or, they already do. I saw no notifications for access.

Did an actor gain access not through my account but directly through Wyze or a 3rd party? This would be my strongest suspect. By if so, why only mess with 2 cameras?

But I guess it’s possible. Just doubtful. I am no one important, and I have nothing to steal anyone wants that would risk their life trying to break into someone’s house in the middle of the night. /shrug

Firmware? Perhaps. I left all of my cameras at the previous firmware version. I am glad I did as I seem to have avoided a few issues others may be having. Firmware scares me as I have accumulated a few bricks over the years. However all cameras are at the same firmware version. Only two cameras affected. I mean logic says no, but maybe.

However this coinciding with a power outage is a key piece of evidence we should keep in mind. Is there a security flaw that allows someone who resets the power at a location that allows someone local or remote access to a camera outside of a local LAN? Would they know I had the previous firmware version if that was even relevant? I can sit here and dream up security scenarios, but at the end of the day, I am not worth the trouble. It even sounds ridiculous.

I too am at a loss. We can both sit here and speculate, and will probably never know the answer. I would like to know though.

[Seapup]

It wouldn’t hurt to have the Wyze security team check up on your cam(s) and account. I agree with most of your thoughts. Although I don’t think Wyze has your 2FA key. I’m hoping to try a few power-related tests tomorrow regardless. Perhaps I can find a firmware issue related to power fluctuation or disconnect.

[SeaStream]

There’s no facts to support hacking here. It is only in the mind because its what you imagine someone might do. The facts point to the software moving it which is what the software does. There’s obviously software automatically determining position and position info and other things can see unknown issues called bugs or it could simply be movement not expected by a user. It may not even be easily reproducible.

In fact, it only moved the night the power went out. That was the first time. Hacking shouldn’t even be on the mind as a result. It was brought up too much already.

[xeleena]

Hi! Thanks for your reply!

@SeaStream

There’s no facts to support hacking here.

Fact:

1. Two cameras moved on their own independently from 15 other cameras.
2. All cameras have the same power source.
3. All cameras have the same firmware.
4. All cameras lost power at the same time.
5. The cameras moved to an unnatural position outside of the normal power cycle pattern.
6. I did not move the cameras.

@SeaStream

It is only in the mind because its what you imagine someone might do.

How do you know what I imagine?

This is self explanitory.

@xeleena

Am I worried about being hacked. No, not really,

This.

@SeaStream

There’s obviously software automatically determining position and position info and other things can see unknown issues called bugs or it could simply be movement not expected by a user.

There is a lot wrong here. I will not be the grammar police. Not my job,

There is nothing obvious here, More speculation. If you read the entire thread, you will notice myself, and another discussing the possibility of a bug. You see that is what you do when you have facts, and no answer. You evaluate the evidence and try to determine a cause based upon said evidence.

It was definitely movement not expected by this user. I was unable to reproduce the event or I would have posted that I could. Another user was going to actually do some testing, which is another part of the scientific process usually used to determine an answer to an unknown.

What have you done besides offer more speculation and opinion not even based in fact? Just curious.

@SeaStream

In fact, it only moved the night the power went out.

This is true. This is correctly called a fact.

@SeaStream

That was the first time.

What? Really? What makes you say this? Have you been monitoring my cameras over the past six months?

@SeaStream

Hacking shouldn’t even be on the mind as a result. It was brought up too much already.

I’m sorry, but this is the dumbest thing I have read in context to a device connected to the internet that I may have ever read. Not only does the company have a history of being exploited, the camera is connected to the internet. To NOT even consider being exploited is like having your head up your A$$. I mean seriously.

It should be thought of in any instance just to rule it out.

All that being said, I am still looking for something you offered in your post that was helpful.

I am not a child, no need to scold me on security and how software works. You know only about me what I have posted, This is the internet. I could be lying. I could be superman. You have no idea.

I welcome some valuable input from you. Some reasonable speculation. Even a fact other than the one I posted about the power event that you seem to pick up on. Until then, the door is,
<----------------------- that way.

GLHF.