Can the previous owner of your security camera spy on you? Webcam privacy scare highlights Internet of Things security difficulties

Caleb Chen writes:

Over the weekend, the security community heard rumors about a potential issue with the NETGEAR Internet of Things wireless security camera. A user reported to the privacy subreddit that after returning the device and not uninstalling the app or deleting an account, the user was still able to see camera footage from the new owner’s camera – a clear privacy breach. The user accuses NETGEAR of having poorly planned out processes for change of ownership scenarios. The reaction from the tech community lacked disbelief and sympathy. Many others reported similar issues with brands other than NETGEAR. In fact, there are websites that list all the world’s internet of things (IoT) cameras that are plugged in but not configured to keep the world out.