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.
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. The government brought in the new guidelines amid growing concerns that sensitive footage could be transferred abroad.
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.
