It’s a cloudy day for the Cloud!

Dear Ones,

You all may recall the FCC ban of Dahua and Hikvision surveillance equipment because of unclosable security leaks in 2021 … https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-bans-authorizations-devices-pose-national-security-threat ..

Here is another such mystery!

Yesterday I turned on the Girafit surveillance equipment app on my handheld and it showed that a device not my own had been shared with my app. The image is below.

Image: Shared Device Not My Own on My Girafit App,” by Alice B. Clagett, 22 January 2026, CC BY-SA 4.0 International

I checked the image on Google image search and found it to be associated with real estate sales … Equitable Estates, chelseahuffrealestate .com, and (in Russian) Channel 24 Smart Home Device ideas among other types of business.

Could someone be using this stock photo to represent themselves as a real estate company selling my home?

• The Girafit sharing option was turned off,
• and my handheld was offline.
• AND Girafit cloud was not enabled.

So how could this have happened? How did this person wangle a share with my app?

This wangle allows them to view my home security system output. This is clearly a security breach. So I turned off bluetooth and wi-fi on my handheld. Then the shared image disappeared. Go figure!?

Today I turned on my Girafit app again and it showed the same shared device as yesterday, but with the caveat “Device is offline.” I

refreshed the view on the Girafit app and the shared device disappeared. I

turned off wi-fi and bluetooth again, just in case the shared device should pop up again.

I asked Google AI about this: Why would my newly set up Girafit app show a shared device that is not mine when I have sharing turned off and when Girafit cloud is not enabled and when my handheld is offline?

Google AI said: “Your Girafit app showing an unknown shared device despite offline status, disabled sharing, and no cloud sync likely means the device was previously linked to another account or is showing cached data; you should try logging out and back in, resetting the camera, or clearing the app’s cache, as it could be residual information from a shared setup or a glitch. 

Here’s a step-by-step troubleshooting approach:

1. Log Out & Back In: Fully log out of your Girafit account and then log back in to refresh the connection and data.
2. Check for Residual Links: Even with sharing off, the device might have been previously bound to another account (like a seller’s demo or previous owner’s). You may need to reset the device (often a button press or power cycle) to clear its internal settings before re-adding it.
3. Clear App Cache: In your phone’s settings, find the Girafit app and clear its cache and data (this won’t delete your account, just local files).
4. Reset the Device: Follow Girafit’s instructions (check their FAQ) to factory reset the camera/device, then set it up as new.
5. Contact Support: If the issue persists, contact Girafit support, providing your device ID (found in settings) for assistance. 

Why this happens:

• Stale Data: Your app might be holding onto old device information.
• Factory Reset Needed: The device itself is still linked to an old account’s cloud ID.
• Network Glitch: A temporary issue with app communication could display incorrect device status. “

So, looks like I was spooked prior to setting up this new Girafit account, and the unauthorized shared device persisted on my handheld, which I will now attempt to wash.

In love, light and joy
This is Alice B. Clagett.
I Am of the Stars … and so are you!

Written and published on 22 January 2026; revised on 17 February 2026

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0). Attribution: By Alice B. Clagett.
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electronic devices, communications, telecommunication, home security, crime, crime prevention, cybercrime,