Amazon’s Ring doorbells leaks customers’ Wi-Fi username and password

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 7, 2019
CONTACT: Evan Greer, 978-852-6457, press@fightforthefure.org

Today, Cyberscoop reported a major security vulnerability in Amazon’s Ring doorbell app. Amazon’s Ring doorbells, which have already raised significant privacy and civil liberties concerns, have now been shown to be deeply insecure, exposing users Wi-Fi passwords to hackers. 

With this Wi-Fi information, hackers can access customers’ personal home networks. It only gets scarier from there as hackers could use customer’s webcams to spy on them and their children, gain access to their bank accounts, and retrieve personal information necessary for identity theft. 

“This is a classic example of how more surveillance does not mean more safety,” said Evan Greer, Deputy Director of Fight for the Future. “Amazon has consistently shown reckless disregard for privacy and civil liberties, but this is terrifying on a whole other level. Putting insecure cameras and listening devices around your home puts your family in danger. Congress should immediately investigate the threat posed by Amazon’s rapidly spreading, for-profit surveillance dragnet.”

Amazon’s surveillance network doesn’t only threaten our privacy and civil liberties, but our security as well. Meanwhile, millions of Americans continue to buy Ring products unaware of the dangers the technology and surveillance partnerships with police pose.

With over 550 partnerships across the country and millions of Americans potentially impacted, we need Congress to intervene. More than 10,000 people have already written their lawmakers calling on them to investigate Amazon’s surveillance empire and their troubling partnerships with law enforcement.  

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