One of the biggest advantages of a video doorbell is the ability to see what’s going on from afar, but without the right privacy tools and encryption levels in place, it can become a hazardous piece of tech.
Now, new reporting from Consumer Reports reveals several video doorbells with the Amazon’s Choice distinction have haphazard levels of security. That allows anyone to pair and take control of the device easily or access still photos captured with the unit by entering the serial number.
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Even worse, it’s not just one model but nearly identical hardware sold under various brand names; one connection is that all of them are controlled using the Aiwit mobile app. Eken and Tuck, two of the brands that sell the doorbells in question, are recommended as “Amazon’s Choice” and still are after the initial reporting was made public. Walmart, Temu, and Shein have also been caught selling the doorbells.
An Eken video doorbell available on Amazon with the “Amazon’s Choice” designation.
Amazon
Beyond being able to access still images and videos, it’s also the degree of how simply someone could take advantage and gain access. For live streaming video, it’s as simple as having the Awitt app installed on your smartphone and pressing the button on the doorbell for about eight seconds to repair it.
You need to be in direct contact with the doorbell to access video, but even more concerning is that you can guess serial numbers to gain access to still images captured by the video doorbell. That’s right; no formal credentials are needed, just a serial number to gain access to the image server.
Consumer Reports accessed both live video and still images using both methods on Eken and Tuck models. But nearly identical models are sold by two other brands—Fishbot and Rakeblue— CR further noted that they’re all manufactured by Eken Group Ltd.
Regarding Amazon’s Choice ratings and selections, the online retailer doesn’t say how these designations are decided. Given the designation, as well as Amazon sharing the number sold in the last 30 days, it doesn’t give any indication of something wrong with the product selection. As of 3:15 PM ET, Feb. 29, 2024, Amazon pulled the “Amazon Choice” badge and made the above Eken doorbell unavailable. While it does show up in search results, it takes your to Amazon Dogs error page.
Via the original investigation, Temu stated that it was investigating the models and pulling them. However, they were still up at the time of this writing, and Walmart noted that all products need to be up to standards.
It’s worth noting as well that Amazon’s Choice has been scrutinized in the past, with several pieces and investigations noting that the products, at times, are unsafe.
TheStreet has reached out to Amazon but has not yet heard back—we will update when and if we do. In the meantime, it’s advisable not to purchase a video doorbell from one of these brands or one that appears to have a similar build as these impacted models.
When purchasing smart home gadgets, you’ll want to consider a name brand with at least some security safeguards in place, especially for gadgets with cameras like video doorbells, outdoor security cameras, and indoor security cameras. Amazon-owned Ring, Google’s Nest, and cameras that support Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video protocols all offer a bit more protection and stricter rules on how to gain access. Especially with cameras, it’s not as simple as picking the one with the lowest price from an unfamiliar brand; it’s best to do your research and then make a purchase decision.
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TheStreet/Eken Video Doorbell
