Eken Fixes Security Issues in Doorbell Cameras Sold by Amazon, Walmart, Others

Consumer Reports had labeled the Eken Smart Video Doorbell and Tuck Sharkpop Doorbell Camera with “Don’t Buy: Safety Risk” messages in our video doorbell ratings. Now that our digital privacy and security testing team has confirmed the problems have been fixed, we’ve removed those labels. (Nearly identical video doorbells covered by our investigation presented the same problems but haven’t appeared in CR ratings.)

“We’re pleased to see Eken fix the issues with its products in response to our findings,” says Maria Rerecich, CR’s senior director of product testing. “While we would prefer that products be safe and secure from their initial launch, the ability of our testing to uncover vulnerabilities results in better products for consumers.”

In addition to providing poor security, these doorbells lacked legally required Federal Communications Commission ID labels on their packaging and/or plastic casings. Eken says all of its products have undergone mandatory FCC testing. The company has added the FCC IDs to the electronic manuals for the doorbells, which can be accessed from the Aiwit app. The FCC declined to comment.

In an emailed statement, an Eken representative said, “We appreciate the feedback from Consumer Reports and our valued customers. We are committed to continuously improving our products to ensure the highest standards of security and compliance and have undertaken significant work.”

The video doorbells were being sold on a number of online marketplaces. On Amazon, they were sometimes tagged “Amazon’s Choice: Overall Pick.” They were also for sale on the Sears, Shein, Temu, and Walmart websites.

As of mid-April, the doorbells identified by CR under the brands Eken, Tuck, Fishbot, Rakeblue, Andoe, Gemee, and Luckwolf were not for sale on any of these retail sites. According to Eken, the doorbells featured in CR’s ratings have been discontinued. However, Amazon was selling similar-looking doorbells under the Aiwit and Sunnyjane brands.

In response to the CR report, FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks contacted the five retailers asking for information on several issues, including whether the products they sell are checked for compliance with FCC regulations. The retailers have not replied to CR’s requests for comment.

Consumer Reports also shared the initial findings with the Federal Trade Commission. CR asked the agency to intervene to ensure that all video doorbells are governed by strong standards to protect consumers. The agency declined to comment.

“Unfortunately, the internet of things is rife with bad data security practices. Even when there are laws mandating certain security practices, there’s not enough awareness or enforcement to change practices industrywide,” says Justin Brookman, director of technology policy for CR. “People are starting to wake up to the importance of good data security, but we still have a long way to go.”