Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into popular security camera maker Lorex Technology Inc., citing concerns that the company’s products could be providing a backdoor for Chinese surveillance on Texas homes.
The probe centers on Lorex’s alleged continued ties to Chinese manufacturer Dahua, a company flagged by federal authorities as a national security threat with direct links to the Chinese Communist Party. Despite Lorex’s 2022 sale to a Taiwanese company, investigators are examining whether the security cameras still contain components that could compromise user privacy and security.
“Texans should never have to worry that the devices protecting their homes could be tied to foreign adversaries,” Paxton said in a statement. “Any company that gives the CCP a foothold in American life will face the full force of Texas law.”
A Security Camera with a Complicated Past
Lorex’s journey through international ownership has raised red flags. Founded in 1991, the company was acquired by Dahua in 2012, putting it under Chinese control for a decade. Though Lorex was sold to Taiwan-based Skywatch in 2022, investigators believe Dahua hasn’t truly let go.
Despite the ownership change, Dahua reportedly still supplies critical components for Lorex cameras. That’s troubling because Dahua has been designated as a “Chinese military company” by U.S. federal agencies and faces significant restrictions due to national security concerns.
What exactly is at stake? The investigation aims to determine if Lorex has been misleading consumers about the security of its devices while maintaining ties to a company that federal authorities have restricted due to espionage and hacking concerns.
Multi-State Scrutiny Intensifies
Texas isn’t alone in its concerns. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers has already gone a step further, filing a lawsuit against Lorex for allegedly deceiving consumers. The lawsuit claims Lorex misrepresented its products as “safe and secure” while hiding its continued reliance on Dahua’s supply chain. Florida officials have also initiated similar investigations.
While the investigation unfolds, Lorex cameras remain widely available throughout Texas at major retailers including Amazon, Costco, and Best Buy—potentially putting countless homes at risk if the security concerns prove valid.
“The attorney general’s office is seeking to determine whether Lorex has misled consumers regarding the privacy and security of its devices,” a statement from Paxton’s office noted.
Part of a Broader Push
The Lorex investigation represents just one front in Paxton’s expanding battle against potential data privacy violations. His office has recently targeted multiple tech companies, including Character.AI and over a dozen others under Texas’s SCOPE Act—legislation aimed at protecting minors’ personal information.
Paxton has put technology companies “on notice” that his office is “vigorously enforcing” Texas’s data privacy laws. The broader initiative focuses on both national security concerns and consumer protection, particularly for vulnerable populations.
For consumers who already own Lorex cameras, the investigation raises uncomfortable questions about devices that were purchased for protection potentially becoming vectors for surveillance—the very thing they were meant to prevent.
As scrutiny intensifies across multiple states, the Lorex investigation highlights the complex challenge of securing consumer technology in an era where global supply chains and international tensions increasingly intersect in the most personal of spaces: our homes.
