Wyze security camera owners report seeing strangers' camera feeds

The company says it's working to improve its security.
By Chase DiBenedetto  on 
A closeup of a white Wyze webcam.
Wyze reports that a "web caching issue" led to user feeds merging. Credit: Smith Collection/Gado/ Getty Images

Wyze security camera users stumbled upon a possible privacy breach, as customers reported seeing the feeds and camera logs of other users.

An r/wyzecam Reddit post from Sept. 8 documents the reactions of users who were able to look into and view events from other peoples' homes via the company's web viewer, The Verge reported. Users alleged that the same home camera feeds were being shown to multiple other users, as well.

"Would only seem to be a risk for anyone if you had recently logged into the wyze website to view your cameras," wrote user Nickoplier. "Your webpage was 'cached' and then accidently [sic] shared to others visiting the same site. Woops to Wyze! If you never use the web wyze website, would believe you're not at risk of having your cameras accidently [sic] exposed by caching."

Wyze confirmed to The Verge that the merged feeds stemmed from "a web caching issue" that only affected desktop users during a 30-minute time period on Sept. 8. Customer service representatives reassured users on the Reddit thread that the company was working on an immediate fix, but many expressed deeper privacy worries with the home camera system. The company has already been under fire for lax security measures, following last year's discovery of a security flaw that had allowed hackers to access video storage for three years.

"This experience does not reflect our commitment to users or the investments we’ve made over the last few years to enhance security. We are continuing to investigate this issue and will make efforts to ensure it doesn’t happen again. We’re also working to identify affected users," a Wyze spokesperson told The Verge.

Chase sits in front of a green framed window, wearing a cheetah print shirt and looking to her right. On the window's glass pane reads "Ricas's Tostadas" in red lettering.
Chase DiBenedetto
Social Good Reporter

Chase joined Mashable's Social Good team in 2020, covering online stories about digital activism, climate justice, accessibility, and media representation. Her work also touches on how these conversations manifest in politics, popular culture, and fandom. Sometimes she's very funny.


Recommended For You
Online phishing scams and what to look out for

Threads is finally launching on desktop


New Google Maps features tackle obstacles to accessibility

Jonathan Glazer's Holocaust-set 'The Zone of Interest' gets a chilling first trailer

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for October 18

7 skills to teach your daughter by age 13


Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for October 18

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!