Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

SecurityWeekSecurityWeek

IoT Security

Google Blocks Xiaomi Integrations Over Privacy Concerns

Google last week disabled all Xiaomi integrations on Nest Hub after learning that some users could access other people’s camera feeds. 

Google last week disabled all Xiaomi integrations on Nest Hub after learning that some users could access other people’s camera feeds. 

The issue was initially reported on January 1, 2020, when a user posted on Reddit, revealing that their Nest Hub was able to access feeds from other people’s Xiaomi cameras. The user also posted screenshots to prove the discovery. 

Although the Mi Home Security Camera Basic 1080p was found at fault, Google decided to disable all Xiaomi integrations on its devices. As it turned out, only the Mi Home Security Camera Basic 1080p was found to be at fault.

“We’ve been working with Xiaomi and we’re comfortable that the issue was limited to their camera technology platform,” a Google employee posted in a thread on the company’s support website. 

After a thorough investigation, Google decided to re-enable Xiaomi device integrations, but left camera streaming disabled. 

“We will not reinstate camera functionality for Xiaomi devices until we are confident that the issue has been fully resolved. We’ll keep you updated with information as more becomes available to share,” Google said. 

The issue was apparently caused by a cache update on December 26, 2019, and only occurred in specific conditions. Around 1000 users are believed to have been affected by the bug. 

Although Google has re-enabled Xiaomi integration on Nest Hub, many users are still complaining of failed attempts to reconnect their devices, comments on Google’s support website reveal. 

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Related: Google’s Nest Hub Has a Microphone It Forgot to Mention

Related: Bug Hunters Earn $195,000 for Hacking TVs, Routers, Phones at Pwn2Own

Related: Zero-Day Exploits Earn Hackers Over $500K at Chinese Competition

Written By

Ionut Arghire is an international correspondent for SecurityWeek.

Click to comment

Trending

Daily Briefing Newsletter

Subscribe to the SecurityWeek Email Briefing to stay informed on the latest threats, trends, and technology, along with insightful columns from industry experts.

Discover strategies for vendor selection, integration to minimize redundancies, and maximizing ROI from your cybersecurity investments. Gain actionable insights to ensure your stack is ready for tomorrow’s challenges.

Register

Dive into critical topics such as incident response, threat intelligence, and attack surface management. Learn how to align cyber resilience plans with business objectives to reduce potential impacts and secure your organization in an ever-evolving threat landscape.

Register

People on the Move

Gigamon has promoted Tony Jarjoura to CFO and Ram Bhide has been hired as Senior VP of engineering.

Cloud security firm Mitiga has appointed Charlie Thomas as Chief Executive Officer.

Cynet announced the appointment of Jason Magee as Chief Executive Officer.

More People On The Move

Expert Insights

Daily Briefing Newsletter

Subscribe to the SecurityWeek Email Briefing to stay informed on the latest cybersecurity news, threats, and expert insights. Unsubscribe at any time.