WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a complaint Jan. 5 against D-Link Corp., a Taiwan-based computer networking equipment manufacturer with a U.S. subsidiary.
According to the FTC, D-Link had inadequate safety measures in place to secure its wireless routers and internet cameras. These deficiencies put the privacy of U.S. consumers at risk. FTC charged D-Link with failing to take reasonable steps to secure its routers and Internet Protocol cameras.
The FTC alleges that by using a compromised camera, an attacker could monitor a consumer’s whereabouts and use that information for theft purposes.
“Hackers are increasingly targeting consumer routers and IP cameras -- and the consequences for consumers can include device compromise and exposure of their sensitive personal information,” said Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “When manufacturers tell consumers that their equipment is secure, it’s critical that they take the necessary steps to make sure that’s true.”
The FTC voted 2-1 to file the complaint against D-Link Corp. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Commissioner Maureen K. Ohlhausen was the dissenting vote.