You think you're choosing between 20 different products, but underneath they may all be the same device talking to the same insecure backend. At that point "just research before you buy" isn't really useful advice
I found this true with security camera & dvr systems. If you're shopping on amazon, you're mostly looking at the same devices and software, sometimes with slightly different styling, versions, and capabilities.
Most of them use the same cloud software to connect to the cameras.
There's better solutions if you have a bigger budget, or the ability to roll your own DVR solution...but on the cheap end, you're just stuck with this terrible software, chinese cloud, and...at least for me...zero trust in privacy. (I keep mine offline)
Buyer Beware has always been a terrible way to live. It guarantees the shittiest products rise to the top because most people do not seriously beware for every purchase they make. As is always the case, regulation and enforcement is what's needed.
How are you even supposed to evaluate the security of a product before you buy it and have it in your hands? It's not like there's an ecosystem of outlets doing that kind of work for the hundreds of thousands of internet-connected devices out there.
And even when it's in your hands, who has the time and expertise to thoroughly review a product for security issues?
Comments
You think you're choosing between 20 different products, but underneath they may all be the same device talking to the same insecure backend. At that point "just research before you buy" isn't really useful advice
I found this true with security camera & dvr systems. If you're shopping on amazon, you're mostly looking at the same devices and software, sometimes with slightly different styling, versions, and capabilities.
Most of them use the same cloud software to connect to the cameras.
There's better solutions if you have a bigger budget, or the ability to roll your own DVR solution...but on the cheap end, you're just stuck with this terrible software, chinese cloud, and...at least for me...zero trust in privacy. (I keep mine offline)
Buyer Beware has always been a terrible way to live. It guarantees the shittiest products rise to the top because most people do not seriously beware for every purchase they make. As is always the case, regulation and enforcement is what's needed.
How are you even supposed to evaluate the security of a product before you buy it and have it in your hands? It's not like there's an ecosystem of outlets doing that kind of work for the hundreds of thousands of internet-connected devices out there.
And even when it's in your hands, who has the time and expertise to thoroughly review a product for security issues?