Two e-commerce giants, Amazon and Flipkart , have started reviewing security camera listings on their platforms in India after a report stated that third-party sellers and brands were selling hundreds of unlicensed products. The government had imposed strict testing rules for such products six months ago amid concerns over potential espionage risks.
The two e-commerce companies, which dominate online shopping in India, were reviewing internet-enabled surveillance cameras listed by third-party sellers, Reuters reported. The government brought in the new guidelines amid growing concerns that sensitive footage could be transferred abroad. From April 1 this year, the government made it mandatory for all internet-connected CCTV cameras to obtain clearance under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) framework.
A cybersecurity expert said the sale of unlicensed security cameras was a serious concern and posed a potential security risk. “A compromised camera can become both a surveillance risk and a cybersecurity entry point,” Gulshan Rai, who served as Prime Minister Narendra Modi ‘s cybersecurity chief from 2015 to 2019, told Reuters.
