Doorbell Cameras Sold by Online Retailers Found to Have Major Security Flaws

Low-cost doorbell cameras sold by some major online retailers have been found to possess security flaws that could put owners at risk of being hacked, a bombshell report found this week.

The investigation, published by Consumer Reports on Thursday, found that products manufactured by the Chinese company Eken Group Ltd., which makes doorbells under brand names such as EKEN and Tuck, have vulnerabilities that could allow bad actors view footage from the devices or even take full control. The products in question are sold by retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Shein, and Temu.

The publication's security and test engineers say that the devices can be controlled remotely by a company-operated app called Aiwit, which allows hackers to create an account and gain access to a nearby doorbell camera by pairing it with another device. The doorbells expose your home IP address and WiFi network name without encryption, leaving your home network potentially exposed to criminals.

The investigators also found that the doorbell cameras don’t have a registration code required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), making them illegal to distribute in the U.S. They believe there could possibly even be additional flaws, such as poor security on the company servers where videos are being stored. 

Both Temu and Walmart told Consumer Reports that they were evaluating the products sold on their website and vowed to remove any that don't meet safety standards and legal requirements. Temu said it had removed video doorbells made by Eken using the Aiwit app, however the publication notes that similar-looking, if not identical doorbells, remained on the site at the time of publication.

Amazon, Sears, and Shein didn’t respond to the publication's questions. Amazon, in particular, has given some Eken and Tuck video doorbells the badge of "Amazon’s Choice: Overall Pick," which appeared on the site even after the company was alerted to potential security flaws. Not only do they appear in multiple listings, but the doorbells reportedly generated more than 4,200 sales in January 2024 alone.

"Big e-commerce platforms like Amazon need to take more responsibility for the harms generated by the products they sell," said Justin Brookman, Consumer Reports director of technology policy. “There is more they could be doing to vet sellers and respond to complaints. Instead, it seems like they’re coasting on their reputation and saddling unknowing consumers with broken products."