In January, the original Wyze Cam was pulled from shelves across the country without a clearly stated reason. A few weeks later, respected security firm Bitdefender dropped a bombshell on consumers, exposing a serious oversight that potentially offered would-be hackers access to improperly secured wireless networks. While the offending firmware has been updated and the Wyze Cam v1 is no longer sold, many consumers are avoiding the purchase of new Wyze security cameras.
Bitdefender has a glowing reputation among security-minded tech enthusiasts and professionals, and for good reason. It has been in the industry for over three decades and works with Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre to investigate illegal activities online. So, when its March 29 white paper went live, consumers took notice.
The paper brought to light three main security holes. Bad actors could have bypassed authentication (i.e., gotten around the camera’s login security), forced the camera to execute code remotely and gained access to SD card storage. In simpler terms, if someone was able to log into your home Wi-Fi network, the Wyze camera bug could have allowed them to essentially install backdoor access that could then be activated remotely at a later date.
If that sounds shady, that’s because it is, even if it wasn’t a realistic worry for most consumers. What was even less reassuring was Wyze’s response to the incident.
The worrying truth is that Wyze knew about the potential exploits for as long as three years. The whole time, Wyze appears to have suppressed the information and offered no warning of or insight into the risk. Indeed, that sudden discontinuation of the original version of the Wyze Cam is telling, as it wasn’t until Bitdefender’s shocking discovery that experts were certain that the Wyze Cam v1 was pulled for security reasons.
For starters, it pushed a firmware update to the Wyze Cam v2 and v3 generations. Ostensibly, that means there isn’t any vulnerability worry with either of the most recent versions. However, that leaves the Wyze Cam v1 hanging out to dry. Wyze claims that it won’t support the firmware update, so it’s no longer selling the camera.
While a fix is well and good, and any reasonable consumer will appreciate it, the fact remains that Wyze sat on this information for three years without telling owners. Conscious consumers are left to wonder if they can continue to trust Wyze and its security cameras, and rightly so.
Savvy homeowners who once swore by Wyze cameras are now ditching them in favor of other, more reliable brands with no history of shady cover-ups. Luckily for consumers, there’s no shortage of high-definition security cameras to choose from.
The Arlo Pro 3 beats much of the competition from a technical standpoint, as it offers a 2,560 by 1,440 resolution, high dynamic range contrast, full-color night vision and wireless connectivity. In addition to its clear image, bold colors and dependable storage, the two-camera package is currently available at a discount.
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To keep tabs on an outdoor space with impressive clarity and particularly easy configuration, it’s hard to top the SoloCam E40. An IP65 rating means it’s safe from the elements, it doesn’t require any kind of base or hub and, unlike most, it offers 8 gigabytes of integrated storage.
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For the ultimate in home surveillance, nothing delivers quite the peace of mind as Ring’s Floodlight Pro. A 110-decibel alarm, a pair of motion-activated lights and 3D motion detection ensure nothing gets past it. Dual-band Wi-Fi support and two-way audio give you complete control of the situation at all times.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
There aren’t many outdoor security cameras that are as compact, affordable and easy to use as this popular model from Blink. It boasts a two-year battery life, doesn’t require any cables or wires and can store photos and videos on the cloud or a USB flash drive. There’s also a version with an attached floodlight for increased security.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
If you’re willing to make a sizable investment, you won’t find anything with better image quality than Arlo’s Ultra 2, which captures 4K video and has an industry-leading 180-degree field of view. It allows for manual and automatic zoom and lets you store data using a microSD card or cloud storage subscription.
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Put simply, it’s about as small and affordable as a full HD home security camera gets, and it’s perfect for monitoring pets or kids. It has surprisingly good image quality given its price and size and works swimmingly with Alexa voice control.
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To use this appropriately named camera, simply stick it up on the wall, connect with a smartphone or Alexa-enabled device and start recording. To that end, it’s one of the most straightforward and convenient options.
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Chris Thomas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
