On Thursday, November 21st, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States proposed a fine of nearly $735,000 against the Chinese smart doorbell manufacturer Eken for providing false information and significant privacy and security vulnerabilities. The investigation into the company is ongoing.
According to a statement from the FCC, Eken was required by regulations to designate a representative located in the United States as the necessary contact person for the certification company. However, investigators found that Eken had provided a false address for the designated representative.
Furthermore, the FCC is still investigating products from Eken and other Chinese device manufacturers, as they have been found to have serious privacy and data security issues.
FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel announced that a large number of certifications using the same U.S. designated agent information as Eken will undergo review.
Reports cited in the statement previously revealed that Eken’s smart doorbells with cameras exposed users’ home IP addresses and Wi-Fi network names, allowing external individuals to access photos and videos from the home camera. Anyone in close proximity to the camera could remotely access extremely private personal data with just a few simple steps.
In a report published in February by the U.S. non-profit organization Consumer Reports, it was highlighted that Eken’s products had security vulnerabilities.
This has raised serious privacy concerns, especially relating to tracking and the safety of survivors of domestic violence. The report also pointed out significant security flaws in the mobile application Aiwit used with the video doorbells, making it susceptible to hacking attacks.
The FCC statement also mentioned that in recent years, the Commission has strengthened regulations against unsafe devices and certification bodies associated with the Chinese Communist Party.
Measures such as the implementation of a “rip and replace” program to remove, replace, and address communication equipment and services produced or provided by Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corporation;
Banning the certification of Chinese telecommunications and video surveillance equipment on the FCC’s “Covered List,” deemed as threats to national security;
Introducing new rules to ensure that equipment testing labs and certification bodies are not influenced by unreliable actors;
Based on recommendations from national security agencies, revoking operational licenses for four Chinese state-owned carriers and suggesting regular reassessments of existing licenses;
Restoring broadband oversight, granting the FCC the authority to reject access to broadband networks by companies controlled by hostile foreign governments, among other actions.