A group have researches have discovered a potentially alarming privacy issue with the Nest Cam home security camera.
The team at ABI Research claimed the device’s camera continues to function even when the device is turned off.
The researchers discovered that even through the LED light was off, the camera was on.
By studying the power consumption of the gadget, the team found there was very little power drain when the device was in “off mode”
Jim Mielke, a senior analyst at ABI Research, said (via BBC): “
“In this case, the current drain only changed slightly when given the turn off command, reducing from 370 mA to 340 mA. Typically, a shutdown or standby mode would reduce current by as much as 10 to 100 times.”
The Google-owned Nest Labs company has said no data is transmitted by the camera, effectively confirming the studies.
However, that’s unlikely to quell the fears of users wondering why their camera remains on when the device itself is switched on.
See also: What is Nest Weave? How the smart home will get smarter
The Nest Cam was revealed earlier this year and offers 1080p video recording at 30fps.
In our review, it earned high praise in our review for the excellent image quality at day or night and reliable motion sensors. Users are able to access cloud recordings for up to 30 days with a subscription.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
