Vulnerability in Amazon Key

Vulnerability in Amazon Key's Camera Allows Couriers Back in Your House

Amazon has addressed the hack and will be rolling out an update next week.

When Amazon rolled out Amazon Key last month, the opinions were mixed at best. While some people were happy to see a system that would cut out the Porch Pirates in their lives, others were anxiety-ridden by the thought of a stranger having access to their home while they are not present.

The latest news from security researchers is not going to calm those who already thought Amazon Key wasn't a good idea. Researchers found that the camera can be disabled and frozen from a program run from any computer within Wi-Fi range, according to Wired.

If the attack happens to a customer, they would only be able to see a closed door though the Cloud Cam and smartphone app, even though someone has opened the door and gone inside - a vulnerability that may allow rouge couriers to steal from Amazon Key customers.

"The camera is very much something Amazon is relying on in pitching the security of this as a safe solution," Ben Caudill, the founder of Rhino Security Labs told Wired. Researchers from the security firm uncovered the Amazon Key attack and replicated it. "Disabling that camera on command is a pretty powerful capability when you’re talking about environments where you’re relying heavily on that being a critical safety mechanism.”

A video demonstration of the attack shows an attacker's screen, the live view of an apartment and the view from the Amazon Key smartphone app. Once the courier walks into the home, he sets the package down and  then leaves. The attackers screen then lights up with code and the camera signal is blocked allowing the courier to reenter the home and do, basically whatever he wants. The camera never indicates to the user that the camera was at risk or its signal was blocked. Instead, the customer remains unaware of the intrusion.

This hack does not have to directly involve couriers with Amazon, a criminal could wait for a courier to leave and then access the home afterwards by triggering a deauthorization command as the courier is leaving and cause Amazon Key to go offline, which would stop the door from locking.

Amazon has responded to the issue saying it will notify customers when the camera is offline for an extended period of time.

"Later this week we will deploy an update to more quickly provide notifications if the camera goes offline during delivery,” it said in a statement. “Every delivery driver passes a comprehensive background check that is verified by Amazon before they can make in-home deliveries, every delivery is connected to a specific driver, and before we unlock the door for a delivery, Amazon verifies that the correct driver is at the right address, at the intended time."

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Live From ISC West: Day 2 Recap

    If it’s even possible, Day 2 of ISC West in Las Vegas, Nevada, was even busier than the first. Remember to keep tabs on our Live From ISC West page for news and updates from the show floor at the Venetian, because there’s more news coming out than anyone could be expected to keep track of. Our Live From sponsors—NAPCO Security, Alibi Security, Vistacom, RGB Spectrum, and DoorKing—kept the momentum from Day 1 going with packed booths, happy hours, giveaways, product demonstrations, and more. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Visiting Sin City

    I’m a recovering alcoholic, ten years sober this June. I almost wrote “recovered alcoholic,” because it’s a problem I’ve long since put to bed in every practical sense. But anyone who’s dealt with addiction knows that that part of your brain never goes away. You just learn to tell the difference between that insidious voice in your head and your actual internal monologue, and you get better at telling the other guy to shut up. Read Now

  • On My Way Out the Door

    To answer that one question I always get, at every booth visit, I have seen amazing product technology, solutions and above all else, the people that make it all work. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Return to Form

    My first security trade show was in 2021. At the time, I was awed by the sheer magnitude of the event and the spectacle of products on display. But this was the first major trade show coming out of the pandemic, and the only commentary I heard was how low the attendance was. Two representatives from one booth even spent the last morning playing catch in the aisle with their giveaway stress balls. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

Featured Cybersecurity

New Products

  • PDK IO Access Control Software

    PDK.IO Access Control Software

    ProdataKey now allows for "custom fields" within the interface of its pdk.io software. Custom fields increase PDK's solutions' overall functionality by allowing administrators to include a wide range of pertinent data associated with each user. 3

  • Tyco Kantech EntraPass security management software

    Tyco Kantech EntraPass security management software

    Johnson Controls, the global leader in smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, and architect of the Open Blue digital connected platforms, has released the newest version of the Tyco Kantech EntraPass security management software. 3

  • Unique Oversized ID Card Printer

    Unique Oversized ID Card Printer

    Idesco Corp. is announcing its card printer – the XCR100 2.0 printer- that allows customers to personalize oversized ID cards on demand. The printer is ideal for assisting healthcare organizations find the right badging solution. As healthcare facilities continue to combat the spread of COVID-19, issuing oversized ID cards has helped identify staff clearly while adding an extra layer of security. The XCR100 2.0 printer is the only dye-sublimation printer on the market that can personalize CR100 cards (3.88" x 2.63"). The cards that are 42% larger than the standard credit card size. The printer can produce up to 180 full cards per hour in color, and up to 1,400 cards per hour in monochrome. An optional flipper is available to print dual-sided badges in one pass. Contactless encoding comes as an option to help healthcare facilities produce secure access badges on demand and the card printer features a 2-year warranty. 3