A selection of security cameras that are being sold and touted by Amazon on its website come with "huge" security risks, according to findings from an investigation conducted by the UK consumer watchdog Which that were released Monday. After testing six wireless cameras, Which found that the devices were easy to hack thanks to weak passwords and unencrypted data that could enable strangers to remotely take control of the camera to spy into people's homes and view footage as they please. One of the cameras tested in the investigation has an Amazon Choice label. This essentially means it is an item many buyers have purchased and were satisfied with, but it doesn't mean it has been heavily vetted by Amazon. The Amazon Choice label is important, as these are the items Amazon's search engine will deliver when you ask Alexa to search for you. Which says the lack of vetting on these Amazon recommended products is concerning. "There appears to be little to no quality control with these sub-standard products, which risk people's security yet are being endorsed and sold on Amazon," Adam French, a consumer-rights expert at Which, said in a statement to the press on Monday. "Amazon and other online marketplaces must take these cameras off sale and improve the way they scrutinize these products," he continued. "They certainly should not be endorsing products that put people's privacy at risk." In a statement emailed to Business Insider, a representative for Amazon said the company required all products listed on its site to comply with applicable laws and regulations. "We proactively monitor multiple sources for safety notifications, including from regulatory agencies and direct contacts from brands, manufacturers, and sellers," he said. Customers raised safety concerns in some of the reviews online. "Someone spied on us," said one customer who reviewed a $35.99 Victure security camera that carries the Amazon Choice badge. "They talked through the camera and they turned the camera on at will. Extremely creepy. We told Amazon. Three of us experienced it, yet they're still selling them." Business Insider has reached out to Victure for comment. Another customer wrote that he had "chills down his spine" after hearing a mysterious voice coming from a camera next to his child's crib after it was apparently hacked, Which wrote in its press release. Which said it asked Amazon to remove these products and was urging the company to monitor customer feedback and investigate cases in which consumers had identified issues with security. Amazon declined to comment on Which's findings.
A range of security cameras available on Amazon pose a significant security risk, according to a report by Which? In a study involving one different wireless cameras, including six that had received an "Amazon Choice" label, the UK consumer watchdog found that weak passwords and unencrypted data allowed hackers to remotely take control of the devices with ease, enabling them to spy into people's homes. Which? said the lack of vetting regarding the products was extremely concerning, adding that it has urged Amazon to remove the products in question.