NZXT—NZXT CAM software discovered consuming 9-22 GB of data per month with extensive telemetry collection
In 2017, users discovered NZXT's CAM monitoring software was consuming massive bandwidth (9-22 GB per month, with constant 0.1-0.5 Mbps usage). CAM collects hardware configuration, IP addresses, computer names, fan speeds, temperatures, installed games/applications, and game performance data. The software requires mandatory online account login to control NZXT hardware. NZXT founder Johnny Hou acknowledged the concerns on Reddit.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Protection | -against | secondary | -0.50 |
| User Privacy | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.429 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (medium ×1) × confidence (0.57)
Evidence (1 signal)
Shacknews investigation: NZXT CAM collecting extensive user data including installed games and hardware specs
Shacknews investigation found CAM software consumed 9-22 GB of data monthly, collecting hardware config, IP addresses, installed games, and game performance data with mandatory account login requirement.