Own a Tapo C120 or C200? Check your camera’s firmware

What has TP-Link warned about?

If a Tapo camera has been quietly watching the driveway while you forget it exists, give its software a look today. TP-Link’s security advisory, updated on 1 October 2026, identifies vulnerabilities in the Tapo C120 V1 and C200 V5. It recommends updating affected devices to the latest firmware.

The reported problems include interrupted camera management, exposure of nearby Wi-Fi information and, in the most serious case, commands running on the device. These attacks require access to the same local network; the command-execution issue also involves additional steps and a reboot. The advisory does not establish that your camera has been breached.

Read TP-Link’s security advisory →

Which firmware should you check?

The advisory lists C120 V1 firmware 1.9.4 Build 260813 Rel.79754n and C200 V5 firmware 1.4.6 Build 260709 Rel.27675n as fixed versions. Keep the model and hardware revision together when checking; a C200 badge alone is not enough to identify the affected version.

Here is the timing worth noticing. TP-Link Australia lists C200(EU) V5 1.4.6 Build 260709 with a publication date of 17 July 2026. The October warning adds detail about vulnerabilities addressed by an existing update. Owners who have kept that model current may already have the fix installed.

There is a regional wrinkle for the C120. On 3 October, the Australian V1 page still listed 1.9.3 Build 260521, below the version named in the advisory. Its separate V1.20 page also listed 1.9.3. A support webpage cannot tell us what your individual camera is currently being offered. Check in the app, and ask TP-Link Australia if the versions do not line up.

Check the Australian C200 firmware notes →

Find your camera’s hardware revision first

Hardware version means the physical revision of the camera. Firmware is the software running on it. They are different numbers, which is exactly the sort of detail that turns a quick update into an unnecessary guessing game.

TP-Link’s camera instructions say to open the camera in the Tapo app, enter Live View, tap the settings gear, then tap the camera model. That screen shows the hardware and firmware versions. The hardware revision is also printed on the device label. Read both before comparing them with the advisory and the matching regional support page.

Follow TP-Link’s version-checking guide →

Update through the Tapo app

From the app’s home screen, open the camera card, tap the settings gear and choose Firmware Update. Alternatively, open Me, then Firmware Update to check your devices together. The position of Me can vary between app versions. You need to be signed in and able to control the camera before starting.

Install the update offered for that device and leave its power connected until the process finishes. Then check the installed firmware again. Auto Update is available on supported models; check whether yours offers it and choose a suitable time. TP-Link says these updates use the app, so downloading a file intended for another region is not the answer to a mismatch.

Read the official Tapo update instructions →

The useful takeaway

Treat this as a maintenance job worth doing now. A security camera needs ongoing software support just as much as a decent picture, and a working live feed tells you very little about its patch level. Check every camera separately, keep a note of the installed versions and get the regional answer from TP-Link if an affected unit cannot reach the listed fix.