Security problems found in video doorbells need fixing, Consumer Reports says

Consumers using a video doorbell made by Eken, Tuck, Fishbot, or any of the other brands that use the same hardware and Aiwit smartphone app should confirm that their doorbell is running the latest firmware version as soon as possible.

Consumer Reports recently uncovered security vulnerabilities in doorbells manufactured by Eken Group and sold by online retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Sears, Shein, and Temu.

Following the investigation, Eken Group met with Consumer Reports test engineers to learn about the issues that were found and released a new firmware update to fix them, Consumer Reports said in a statement. The security issues could have allowed a hacker, stalker, or other bad actor to gain control of the doorbell and view images from the doorbell camera remotely. The vulnerabilities also leaked home IP addresses and WiFi network names.

“Unfortunately, the Internet of Things is rife with bad data security practices,” said Justin Brookman, director of technology policy at Consumer Reports. “Even when there are rules mandating certain security practices, there’s not enough awareness or enforcement to change practices industry-wide.”

On top of that, major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Walmart need to do a better job of vetting sellers and products sold on their platforms, so consumers aren’t put at risk, Brookman said.

“It’s become clear that we need new rules to hold online retailers accountable,” he said.