• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechCybersecurity

Some ‘Amazon’s Choice’ Security Cameras Pose ‘Huge’ Hacking Risk, Study Says

By
Alyssa Newcomb
Alyssa Newcomb
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Alyssa Newcomb
Alyssa Newcomb
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 1, 2019, 5:42 PM ET

Consumers may want to do some additional homework before purchasing a security camera that has the “Amazon’s Choice” seal of approval, according to a new study.

The six cameras that were reviewed by the e-commerce giant posed a laundry list of security red flags, including weak user names and passwords written directly on the product, unencrypted data, and holes that hackers could potentially exploit that would allow them to spy on someone, according to a news release from Which?, a U.K.-based consumer advocacy group that carried out the tests.

Many of the bestselling cameras on Amazon include off-brands. While these devices can be cheaper than recognizable brand names, such as Ring or Nest, they provide little help for customers hoping to track down the company to ask questions or to alert them of security flaws, the group says.

Adam French, a consumer rights expert at Which?, says in a statement that the study shows that Amazon appears to have “no quality control” when it comes to deciding which products receive the coveted “Amazon’s Choice” seal of approval.

“Amazon and other online marketplaces must take these cameras off sale and improve the way they scrutinize these products,” French says. “They certainly should not be endorsing products that put people’s privacy at risk.”

Which? also had difficulty contacting some manufacturers, even with the help of an industry expert in Shenzen, China, which has become a hub for manufacturing lower cost electronics.

Amazon did not answer a question regarding how it chooses which security cameras receive the “Amazon’s Choice” seal of approval, which launched in 2015. However, previous reports suggest Amazon’s algorithm gives the “Amazon’s Choice” placement to products that are highly rated, affordable, and in stock.

An Amazon spokesperson did tell Fortune that the company “require[s] all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws and regulations, and we proactively monitor multiple sources for safety notifications, including from regulatory agencies and direct contacts from brands, manufacturers, and sellers.”

This hardly the first time the “Amazon’s Choice” tag has come under scrutiny. A BuzzFeed review in June found that flawed products are being awarded the “Amazon’s Choice” badge, even after customers left reviews detailing a problem with a product. These include a portable washer and dryer that broke after one use, a thermometer that gives erratic readings, and padlocks that could be picked in a matter of seconds.

When it comes to choosing a good security camera that actually does its job, security experts recommend that people look beyond the “Amazon’s Choice” seal and do further research. This includes checking to see who makes the camera and conducting a Google search to see if there have been any reported problems.

Also after a camera is purchased, customers should immediately change the default password to something strong that a hacker shouldn’t be able to easily guess.

Many cameras use the same password, a point that Russian hackers made in 2014 when they streamed thousands of nanny cams on a website, allowing anyone to search by country and sneak a peek at peoples’ private moments. Despite the startling exploit, hackers continue to go after any connected device that uses a factory default password, whether to spy or to use it to form a botnet to flood a website with artificial traffic and knock it offline.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

—The cheapest mobile plans for your iPhone 11
—How Russian PR firms plant stories for companies in U.K. news outlets, social media
—From premium speakers to privacy, Amazon has a plan to make Alexa sound even better
—Meet the women leading Netflix into the streaming wars
—Why Apple is offering cheaper streaming and iPhones
Catch up with Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily digest on the business of tech.

About the Author
By Alyssa Newcomb
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

From wool sneakers to GPUs: Allbirds’ desperate AI pivot and 600% stock surge, explained
AIRetail
From wool sneakers to GPUs: Allbirds’ desperate AI pivot and 600% stock surge, explained
By Phil WahbaApril 15, 2026
4 hours ago
Pause AI and Stop AI: Meet the anti-AI groups facing questions after the attack on Sam Altman
AIOpenAI
Pause AI and Stop AI: Meet the anti-AI groups facing questions after the attack on Sam Altman
By Sharon GoldmanApril 15, 2026
4 hours ago
Woman drinking coffee
AIConsumers
Starbucks wants you to ask ChatGPT about what coffee to get, right as America boils over with AI backlash vibes
By Tristan BoveApril 15, 2026
5 hours ago
The Bezos-Musk space rivalry is shooting for the moon, and the winner will dominate not just the cosmos—but the future of AI infrastructure
AIAerospace
The Bezos-Musk space rivalry is shooting for the moon, and the winner will dominate not just the cosmos—but the future of AI infrastructure
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezApril 15, 2026
6 hours ago
A sign hangs on the front door of a shuttered Allbirds store on April 02, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
AIRetail
Allbirds ditches sneaker business to pivot to AI compute, stock surges over 700%
By Eva RoytburgApril 15, 2026
6 hours ago
Sal Khan
SuccessEducation
This CEO has teamed up with Google, Microsoft, and McKinsey to build an AI degree that could rival Harvard—and it will cost only $10,000 to attend
By Preston ForeApril 15, 2026
9 hours ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Fortune EditorsApril 15, 2026
9 hours ago
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated again—a week after gifting millions to a college, she's just given $70 million to Meals on Wheels America
Success
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated again—a week after gifting millions to a college, she's just given $70 million to Meals on Wheels America
By Fortune EditorsApril 13, 2026
2 days ago
Palantir CEO says working at his $316 billion software company is better than a degree from Harvard or Yale: ‘No one cares about the other stuff’
Success
Palantir CEO says working at his $316 billion software company is better than a degree from Harvard or Yale: ‘No one cares about the other stuff’
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
1 day ago
Retirees are facing a $345,000 bill they never saw coming — and most aren't prepared
Commentary
Retirees are facing a $345,000 bill they never saw coming — and most aren't prepared
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
2 days ago
Warren Buffett’s first tax return showed $7 owed to the IRS. The then paperboy and former Berkshire Hathaway CEO is now worth $143 billion
Success
Warren Buffett’s first tax return showed $7 owed to the IRS. The then paperboy and former Berkshire Hathaway CEO is now worth $143 billion
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
1 day ago
Economists warned California not to raise the minimum wage to $20. They were wrong in almost every way so far, another economist says
Economy
Economists warned California not to raise the minimum wage to $20. They were wrong in almost every way so far, another economist says
By Fortune EditorsApril 15, 2026
13 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.