Involving platforms such as Temu and Amazon, these domestic products have been removed from the shelves!

The monthly sales of a single product are 4,200 units, and this type of product has been removed from the shelves!

According to foreign media reports, the US Consumer Reports found in a survey that many video doorbell products sold on platforms such as Amazon have serious security vulnerabilities and may be attacked by hackers in some cases.

The consumer advocacy group said in a user forum last week that some of the security vulnerabilities it mentioned had only recently been confirmed, and that due to its "security issues", images of thousands of consumers' homes were viewed by people they did not even know.

Video doorbells are supposed to help keep your home safe from strangers, but due to poor software security, these cameras are vulnerable to hackers.

The local consumer rights protection group found that more than a dozen similar-looking video doorbells from brands such as Eken and Tuck had such problems. The group said all of the products were made by Shenzhen-based Eken Group and controlled through a mobile app called Aiwit operated by Eken.

It is understood that Eken and Tuck are not well-known brands in the video doorbell market, but they are sellers with relatively strong sales on e-commerce platforms. After searching, it was found that these doorbells currently occupy several front-row positions on Amazon's search page, and more than 4,200 products were sold in January alone.

Consumer advocacy groups said that because e-commerce platforms such as Amazon have done little to curb illegal sellers, coupled with the large number of advertisements by these sellers, the result is that the two brands are often rated "Amazon's Choice", but consumers have little way to figure out which products are safe.

Internet-connected camera doorbells have many security risks

“These video doorbells from niche manufacturers have serious security and privacy vulnerabilities, and now they’ve made their way to major e-commerce marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart,” said Justin Bruckman, director of technology policy at Consumer Reports . “Both the manufacturers and the platforms that sell these doorbells have a responsibility to ensure that these products don’t put consumers in harm’s way.”

The report points out that Eken and Tuck's products may have the following security risks:

1. Your home IP address and WiFi network name may be exposed to the Internet without encryption, which may cause your home network to be vulnerable to malicious attacks.

2. Potential hackers were able to take over the device by downloading the Aiwit smartphone app and pairing the doorbell to it, thereby gaining ownership of the device, viewing camera footage, and locking out the device owner.

3. By obtaining the doorbell's serial number, still images and other information in the video feed can be remotely accessed without authentication.

4. These products lack the registration code required by the Federal Communications Commission and pose compliance issues.

From the perspective of industry development, although the number of connected smart home devices has surged in recent years, the development of software security has been slow to keep up. In order to compete with large companies, some small and medium-sized brands often choose to cut corners in terms of quality and security. On the other hand, big brands do better in security, but it also brings new privacy issues - for example, do consumers really want Amazon to peek into every corner of our homes?

The consumer advocacy group said the government needs to enact rules that hold online retailers accountable for vetting sellers and the products they sell. It called on the Federal Trade Commission to stop doorbell cameras from being sold on e-commerce platforms and on retailers to do more to ensure the quality of the products they sell.

Responses from all parties regarding product issues

The brand Eken has not yet responded to the product safety issues .

Temu said in an emailed statement that the platform will prioritize consumer safety and privacy and has suspended sales of Tuck and Eken doorbell cameras.

“We require all sellers on our platform to fully comply with the laws and regulations of the markets in which they sell, which includes providing necessary product documentation,” the company said. “We regularly conduct spot checks on our warehouses to ensure enforcement of this policy.”

Retail giant Walmart also said the items mentioned by the consumer advocacy group have been removed from its website and that the retailer is currently offering refunds to consumers who want to return the items. It noted that the company's policy prohibits the sale of any electronic products that do not comply with FCC regulations.

In a statement, Walmart wrote: "Like other major online retailers, we operate an online retail platform and allow third-party sellers to offer products to customers through our e-commerce platform. We expect these products to be safe and reliable, and they must meet our standards and all legal requirements. Products found not to meet these standards or requirements will be immediately removed from the website and remain blocked."

Although many e-commerce giants have spoken out about this incident, industry leader Amazon has been slow to take action. As of last Wednesday, the relevant products could still be searched on the Amazon platform.

In fact, it is not unprecedented for connected cameras to be embroiled in security controversies. Internet-enabled camera systems such as Amazon's Ring have previously raised privacy and security issues. Last summer, Amazon agreed to pay a $5.8 million fine to the Federal Trade Commission to settle allegations that it allowed Ring surveillance personnel to access personal videos.

In response to this situation, cybersecurity experts recommend not placing cameras in bathrooms or bedrooms, but aiming them outside the house.

Deciding who can peek into our homes (or front porches) is a sensitive matter, so the best way for consumers to avoid it is to not buy such products.

Amazon

Temu

Removed