Ring doorbell camera users required to use two-factor authentication to protect accounts

Users of Ring doorbell security cameras must improve their own security measures to boost privacy and prevent unauthorized access to the home safety systems.

Ring owners are now required to use two-factor authentication to log in to their Ring accounts, in an update announced Tuesday. Earlier this month, Ring began offering as a default two-factor authentication, which requires you to input a passcode sent via email or text when you log into your account.

Now, its use is mandatory, the Amazon-owned company said in a blog post. The move comes after Ring has faced several security concerns.

Hackers have gained access to scores of Ring security cameras in recent months. And some critics have questioned Ring’s partnerships with police agencies as an unneeded escalation in surveillance.

That update earlier this month let Ring users decide whether local police partnered with Ring can make requests to access video from their cameras.

Ring owners can now also opt out of sharing information with third-party advertisers in the Ring app’s Control Center. Ring also is pausing the use of “most third-party analytics services in the Ring apps and website while we work on providing users with more abilities to opt out in Control Center,” the company said.

Additional ways to limit information sharing with third-party service providers will be announced in early spring, the company said.

Ring customers must have the latest version of the Ring app to use the new features. They will be notified by email of the updates to their account within the coming week, the company says.

“Delivering you privacy, security and control are foundational to achieving our mission,” reads Ring’s blog post. “That’s why we’re listening to what you, our customers, are saying and taking additional steps to help you feel confident that your home and personal information are safe when you use our products.”