An investigation released on Thursday by Consumer Reports found that certain doorbell cameras available for purchase on Amazon and other websites have vulnerabilities that could give unauthorized individuals access to their footage or even control over them.

A team of experts from a company that reviews products discovered significant weaknesses in cameras made by Eken Group Ltd, a Chinese company that makes video doorbells sold under the brands EKEN and Tuck, among others.

The doorbells made by Eken were sold by online retailers such as Walmart, Shein, Sears, and Temu. After being contacted by Consumer Reports, Temu decided to remove the Eken doorbells from its platform.

A representative from Walmart stated that the doorbell cameras mentioned by Consumer Reports were sold by third-party vendors on their marketplace. The spokesperson confirmed that Walmart has taken down these products and is providing refunds in accordance with their return policy.

Amazon, which has awarded the “Amazon’s Choice” badge to both EKEN and Tuck doorbells, did not promptly answer a comment request. However, the doorbell cameras seemed to be purchasable on its website as of Thursday.

Sears and Shein have yet to provide a response to comment requests.

According to a recent study, Eken Group’s doorbell cameras can be managed through a company-owned application known as Aiwit. The study also revealed that malicious individuals can easily create an account on the app and link it to a nearby doorbell camera, granting them the ability to view live footage or still images from the device. Additionally, the owners of the camera may find themselves locked out of their own device, as reported by Consumer Reports.

The team of researchers discovered that certain doorbell cameras lack the necessary registration code mandated by the Federal Communications Commission.

According to a statement made by Justin Brookman, director of tech policy at Consumer Reports, popular online shopping platforms such as Amazon and Walmart need to improve their methods of evaluating sellers and the products they offer to ensure the safety of consumers.

Source: wral.com