Anker's Eufy has issued a detailed statement apologizing for the major privacy lapse from their end a few days ago that led to the Eufy security app showing security camera feeds of strangers.
While Eufy was quick to acknowledge and fix the issue back then, its users were angry at its response which blamed the security lapse on a "software bug." The company is now making amends by issuing a more detailed statement and revealing how many users were actually affected by the incident.
Eufy Says a "Limited Number" of Customers Were Affected
In its updated statement, Eufy says that during a server software update on May 17th, a bug inadvertently led to a "limited number" of Eufy users gaining access to security camera feeds of other users. Its engineering team identified the issue within an hour and managed to fix the issue within the next hour.
The company says that 712 Eufy users were affected by the bug residing in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina. Eufy users in Europe were unaffected by this bug.
As a security measure, Eufy recommends that all users unplug and reconnect their Eufy security home base. They are also recommended to log out of the Eufy security app and log in again. Eufy notes that all user account information and data stored on its servers are encrypted.
— Eufy (@EufyOfficial) May 19, 2021
To avoid this issue from happening again in the future, Eufy will be upgrading its network architecture and improve the two-way authentication between its servers, devices, and the Eufy security app. It is also upgrading the processing capacity of its servers.
To further improve product security, the company will obtain the TUV and BSI Privacy Information Management System certifications, which should help reinstate the lost consumer confidence in its security products.
Eufy's Statement Still Does Not Detail the "Bug"
While detailed, Eufy's statement does not clarify what the "bug" was that led to Eufy security camera owners gaining access to the feed of other users. It has only detailed the steps to prevent such a mishap from happening again in the future.
The official statement does not even detail the privacy blunder. It is only in a statement to The Verge that Eufy confirms "users were able to access video feeds from other users' cameras."
Eufy security camera users have been angry at the company after the security lapse. Many customers have returned their security cameras, while others have taken down their cameras temporarily. Eufy will have to step up and show that it will be giving the privacy and security of its customers the utmost importance to win back their trust.
