Do you have a Ring security system?

They are offered by Amazon and they're a wildly popular smart device that allows you to keep tabs on who's coming to or walking by your door. The doorbell's camera records video and saves it to the cloud so you can review it at your leisure.

Unfortunately, there's a problem. The videos on the cloud aren't secured and it's not difficult for hackers to gain access to them. It is easy for law enforcement to access them too for that matter. This is something that privacy advocates around the world have been complaining about since the Ring was first introduced. Now Amazon has done something about it.

 

The story on security for Ring

Dozens of people who say they were subjected to death threats, racial slurs, and blackmail after their in-home Ring smart cameras were hacked are suing the company over “horrific” invasions of privacy.

A new class action lawsuit, which combines a number of cases filed in recent years, alleges that lax security measures at Ring, which is owned by Amazon, allowed hackers to take over their devices. Ring provides home security in the form of smart cameras that are often installed on doorbells or inside people’s homes.

The suit against Ring builds on previous cases, joining together complaints filed by more than 30 people in 15 families who say their devices were hacked and used to harass them. In response to these attacks, Ring “blamed the victims, and offered inadequate responses and spurious explanations”, the suit alleges. The plaintiffs also claim the company has also failed to adequately update its security measures in the aftermath of such hacks.

 

E2EE added to Ring

Recently the company added E2EE (End to End Encryption) to the Ring, but they've included it as an optional security feature. If you're concerned about privacy and you want to make use of the new feature, you'll need to install the latest version of the Ring application on your phone then specifically opt in to using E2EE. If you opt in, you'll be required to set a password and you'll need to remember it because Amazon Web Services (AWS) won't keep a copy or store it anywhere.

Unfortunately, E2EE isn't fully integrated into the product line and specifically it won't work with the company's best-selling and lowest-priced unit. You should also be aware that although law enforcement won't automatically have access to your doorbell's videos, they can still request access to the footage. If your town's police force has partnered with Ring you can expect to get email requests from local law enforcement officials any time a crime is committed in your immediate area.

 

My perspective

Although the new encryption feature isn't perfect it is a step in the right direction. Kudos to Amazon for taking steps to make the Ring doorbell and the video it takes more secure.

 

Just like on The Daily Show: "Here it is. Your moment of Zen"

 


By Denis Wilson

Cybersecurity Expert, Small Business Technology Consultant, Managed Services Provider, Managed IT Support

Thanks for reading this short post. For more tips on thriving with small business technology, check out the other blog posts at DWPIA Blogs. You can also find me on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter

I am also a published author and speaker on cloud computing, work@home, and cybersecurity. I work extensively with business and professional associations to provide free small business technology education programs.

 

Contact me if you would like me to speak for free to your association