From Engadget · Beatriz Valero de Urquia · · 2m
Laser pointers can blind cameras, but it's harder than TV shows
A Better Call Saul trick works in theory but fails in practice. Damaging a modern security camera with a laser requires power, precision and patience most attackers do not have.
In brief
A Better Call Saul trick works in theory but fails in practice. Damaging a modern security camera with a laser requires power, precision and patience most attackers do not have. Laser pointers can temporarily blind security cameras and cause permanent damage in rare cases, but modern cameras have protections that make…
Better Call Saul's laser trick
In the episode Wiedersehen, Werner Ziegler uses a laser pointer to blind a security camera and escape.Mike Ehrmantraut later notices dead pixels on the monitor feeds and finds the pointer, but Ziegler has already fled.
Yes, lasers can damage cameras
Laser pointers can blind security cameras and even damage them permanently. This requires a very powerful laser, an older camera and an extremely steady pulse. In most places it is also illegal.
A real arrest in Florida
In two thousand twenty-one, a Clearwater man got arrested for pointing a laser at several surveillance cameras owned by the Church of Scientology.
How lasers overwhelm camera sensors
Cameras convert light into electrical charges to create video frames.Security cameras are more susceptible to strong light than the human eye.
The power limit that stops attackers
Under US Food and Drug Administration regulations, handheld laser pointers exceeding five milliwatts of output power are illegal to market, sell or promote.A laser under five milliwatts causes only temporary glare.
Steady aim is nearly impossible
Researchers at IPVM tried using a laser to blind a security camera and found it very difficult to keep the laser focused on an object from roughly five feet away without their hands shaking off…
“very difficult”
Modern cameras have built-in protection
Newer technology and sensor protections make damaging modern cameras difficult even with a high-powered laser and good aim.
How to protect your cameras
Mount cameras high or at an angle to make prolonged aiming difficult. Use moving cameras, overlapping coverage to eliminate blind spots, and modern systems that detect sudden light changes and send instant phone alerts when…
Here's the gist
Laser pointers can temporarily blind security cameras and cause permanent damage in rare cases, but modern cameras have protections that make this extremely difficult in practice.
