We are releasing Wyze Video Doorbell v1 firmware 4.25.1.316 and Wyze Cam Pan v3 firmware 4.50.4.7252 today with security improvements. Please update soon!
Read our Release Notes:
6 Likes
Once again, I must express my displeasure with the practice of purposely disabling the active use of a Cam with a forced firmware update.
I realize this very well may be a very important critical security update given the recent events discussed in the media and this Forum. However that is not justification for Wyze to take my cams hostage and render them useless by demanding compliance with forced firmware updates.
The Firmware Update pop-up should inform me of the seriousness of the update and educate me as to the risks I will assume if I do not update immediately. It should not lock me out of using the cam until I update. Updating firmware is a user choice, not a Wyze choice.
Every firmware security update, regardless of the seriousness of the threats patched, should allow me to update my cams on my schedule by my choice.
Case in point. I opened one of my PanV3 cams and my VDBv1 cam and was greeted with this announcement.
There is no way to decline, no way to escape, no way to close, no way to delay. I cannot Live Stream the cam or access any settings unless I update.
Given the extremely high rate of update failures this particular security patch is causing among the other Wyze Cams, it is imperative I am on site when the update executes. Unfortunately, my cams have now been taken hostage and I am being actively blocked from using them until I comply with the forced update demands.
I had planned to test the updated firmware on one cam to make sure it wasnât going to brick the cam. Doing so will keep my remaining PanV3 cams unusable until the firmware update can be verified. This should never happen. These are sold as security cams and are now useless without updating to untested firmware.
11 Likes
Agreed. I do not like updates that are required in order to use the camera at all.
At worst the updates should tell me they are critically important, and they are allowed to keep reminding me whenever I select the camera until I update it, but it should never prevent me from using my camera the way I may need to right now, or in some ways the update is worse than whatever it might be fixing.
Even the recent V3 bug that was talked about could only be used if someone was already on the same local Wifi network. So to me, even that isnât a critical issue that should be a forced update either. Just a disclaimer.
7 Likes
I just tried to view one of my V1 Doorbell cameras, and was greeted with that message too. I let it update, and it seems to be working. I have another one that updated successfully too, so that is a relief.
I assume this flurry of firmware updates is designed to block the exploits that were published online a couple of days ago?
I wonder if the Doorbell Pro is affected or older V2 cameras?
2 Likes
Updated 5 of 7 CPv3 cams. Updated 3 from their live stream pages and 2 from the bulk update page. Did warm restarts on each cam via app, mass warm restart via shortcut trigger and powercycled each cam to ensure connectivity was properly restored. Accessed live stream between each test for each cam. Looks good and will keep an eye out for anomalies this evening.
No doorbell to update and check.
1 Like
Thank you for posting your experience!
Updated VDBv1 Forced Firmware Update from Device Info>Firmware. Successfully updated, however it returned back to the Live Stream with the Forced Firmware Update pop-up still active and would not allow cancellation. Closing\restarting the app and opening the live stream successfully loaded the stream. Monitoring for anomalies.
1 Like
SlabSlayer,
Both of my VDBv1 did that weird firmware popup screen after update too. I closed the Wyze app from the Android 14 side, and it came back up and worked properly after that. Looks like they would have seen that during testing.
Testing? What testing? I am in the Beta Program and donât recall any testing. Must have been a National Security Code Red Defcon 1 emergency security update to forego Beta testing and force it upon us involuntarily. Glad my doorbell didnât explode and nuke the neighborhood before I got home.
2 Likes
Excellent point!
An example scenario: An unsubscribed user is blissfully watching their season finale of Criminal Minds, unaware that any Firmware Update has been posted, when they receive a Push Notification of a Motion Event on their back door security cam. A criminal is attempting to break in. The user launches the app to live stream the cam to see what the motion is and is greeted by a forced firmware update rather than the Live stream of the criminal trying to pry open the door. There is no way to live stream without a firmware update, which takes time. Precious time.
By involuntarily forcing this critical firmware security update on this user, Wyze has created a far more serious security risk for this user. One that has much farther reaching personal safety consequences, possibly life threatening, than a socially inept hacker trying to view their cams.
5 Likes
And then what happens if the firmware bricks it and some of that critical footage is now lost?
Just sayingâŚnever FORCE it unless itâs beyond critical. Just annoy us with a disclaimer pop up about how important it is, but let us choose if it is more urgent than what weâre currently trying to do first.
And if it was that urgent, why did you wait for me to access the camera? Why didnât you push it out to all MACs ASAP or send out app warnings and emails? Itâs been done beforeâŚso obviously not super critical urgent, just important. Or so I deduceâŚ
2 Likes
I agree.
The ONLY reason I can think that Wyze would need to do this is for legal/media reasons.
For example, if someone declines the update, and keeps declining it and then someone uses the unpatched vulnerability to exploit the users cameras, now the user may claim their cameras are vulnerable and Wyze is bad etc etc. ofc the media would exaggerate that, and fail to mention the user purposefully declined a security update.
I still donât think that justifies it, but maybe that was their thought process. Especially with all the attention their last security issue had.
I think instead of saying update now, they should say update AS SOON AS I EXIT THE LIVE STREAM. So the user already accepted the update and it is going to happen, itâs just delayed a little until they are done using the camera. Not a perfect solution, but I think itâs a good balance.
3 Likes
Why is Wyze trying to shove their firmware update ârequiredâ at me!? I too like to decide when I update my cameras as their updates have probâs. The last update I did on 1 of the cameras screwed up my camera & I had to downgrade the firmware.
I am now unable to even VIEW individual cameras or use the app when the âFirmware update requiredâ screen pops up. How dare THEY tell me when I HAVE to update MY equipment & then disable me to use the app to view individual cameras.
[Mod Note]: Your post was moved to the correct topic (Wyze Cam Pan v3 firmware) for better visibility.
1 Like
The âFirmware Update Reqâ being shoved at me started for me this evening. I canâd do any single viewing from my V3 pan cameras now as after the popup displays, it disables the app. I have to close out the app, then view the cam in the group. but if I select the camera alone, I get the popup & the app becomes unusable. Are you saying this eventually has gone away for you?? It upsets me that Wyze will do this & force a firmware update on me, as when I bought a new Pan3, it forced it on me & it killed the network for it. I had to downgrade for it to work properly.
[Mod Note]: Your post was moved to the correct topic (Wyze Cam Pan v3 firmware) for better visibility.
I agree. How dare they hold MY cameraâs hostage becuase they decide they need to shove their updates on me, which screw up my cameras!! They are MY cameras, & itâs my decision to update or not, NOT theirs!!
I too like to decide when I update my cameras as their updates have probâs. The last update I did on my newest v3 Pan cam & I had to downgrade the firmware.
I am now unable to live stream individual cameras or use the app as the âFirmware update requiredâ screen pops up. How dare THEY tell me when I HAVE to update MY equipment & then disable me to use the app to live stream cameras. The last update screwed up my connection between my rounter & the newest Pan3 Iâd purchased. I had to down grade firmware for it to connect.
Leave me alone & quit shoving your âupgrade firmwareâ notices at me!!! And THEN to kill the app so I canât stream the cam unless I do. This is BS Wyze!! My cameraâs MY choice!
1 Like
Updated 4 PanV3 Cams individually, one at a time, via Bulk Firmware Update page in order to regain live stream operability.
Update was not as fast as I would have expected, but each cam installed the update and rebooted successfully. Monitoring for anomalies.
3 Likes
Why is Wyze trying to force their firmware update ârequiredâ at me!? I like to decide when I update my cameras and do so when thereâs not loads of complaints from users that it messed up their cameras. The last update I did on my newest v3 Pan cam broke my wifi w my router & I had to downgrade the firmware to get it to connect.
I am now unable to even live stream individual cameras or use the app as the âFirmware update requiredâ screen pops up. How dare Wyze tell me when I HAVE to update MY equipment & then disables me to use the app to live stream my cameras. Iâve several Pan3âs, and canât live stream a 1 of them, unless I update & risk breaking or again messing up connection with my wifi.
Please leave me alone & quit forcing your âupgrade firmwareâ notices at me! I understand Wyze wanting to protect users from security issues, but do NOT disable us from using our cameras\app when we choose not to update.
[Mod Note]: Your post was moved to the correct topic (Wyze Cam Pan v3 firmware) for better visibility.
1 Like
This morning I tried to view a suspecticous movement\activity on the side of the house during eve hrs & was greated with the âfirmware update requiredâ notice. I canât even view the events of the cameras! Yea, I canât go into settings of the cameras beyond what my SD card catches on movement. I agree, this should never happen. Inform us, but let US decide if we want to update OUR cameras.
Imagine if MicroSoft locked us out of using our computers til we updated the OS & did all their security patches!
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I have very specific firmware versions on my cameras so that they will work with third party apps, specifically
2 Likes
Wyze Cam Pan v3 firmware 4.50.4.7252.
Okay, w all my whining & *itching, today I updated my 5 Pan3âs as I needed to see what were learing around the side of my house. I did 1 cam at a time just as a couple others said theyâd done. Then I checked each cam to be sure it were connecting to my wifi properly. They all updated just fine, PHEW!! Now I can live stream & view play back events again of each camera.
I hope Wyze donât do this hijacking of my cameras anymore, itâs bad enuf to get notifications each time I open a camera for updating the firmware & reminding me Detection Zone is enabled. My gosh, I know, leave me alone.
1 Like