We are quickly approaching an age where we wouldn't have to move a muscle for something to be done. Now, appliances can be programmed to do something regularly or via voice command.
It wouldn't occur to people who aren't tech-savvy that these devices may serve as a doorway for hackers to peer into their private lives. Still, according to Dennis Giese, a cybersecurity researcher and Ph.D. student at Northern University, it is apparently possible, as mentioned in Digital Trends.
Since these smart devices or IoT are activated using voice commands, more often than not, they are connected to the WiFi network of the user. Once hackers gain access to that network, they can easily control the appliances from a distance and make them malfunction or steal sensitive and personal data.
What Are The Appliances They Could Target?
The first thing that they will try to infiltrate is most probably the target's security camera. Through their camera streams, the hacker can easily see into every corner of the user's home, which is already a breach of privacy in itself.
Matt Lewis, an analyst in the UK-based cybersecurity firm NCC Group, said that most hackers are usually just curious and they have no ill intent. However, they did trace some CCTV camera activity that led to a known threat actor in Russa.
Giese, the previously mentioned cybersecurity researcher, said that there are instances when hackers could shut down something like a central heating system using a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack.
This may not be as alarming as having someone spy on you through your security cameras, but it still could cause damage to your home, like burst pipes at extremely low temperatures.
Giese also mentioned the harm that a robot vacuum could do. Since the smart cleaning device has lidar technology and a camera that can recognize objects, it can still provide an idea for hackers on how to navigate your home.
On a more serious issue with the smart vacuum, it is possible for hackers to reconfigure the batteries so that they might overheat and burn, which might cause a house fire. Giese told Digital Trends that it was possible to tell the controller of the vacuum wrong information, which will then charge with a high voltage.
There are myriad ways a hacker can break into your home's network and cause minor to irreparable damage, so you need to take precautionary security measures to avoid this.
Ways To Protect a Smart Home From Cyberattacks
The first thing you have to consider is the WiFi access point where your devices are connected. You must have a different network for your smart appliances and another for devices that contain sensitive data like phones, computers, and network-attached storage.
Once you buy a new smart appliance, immediately change the default, which is often 1234 or 0000. If not in use, turn off the mic from the appliances that include that option, as advised by technewsworld.com.
If the device comes with a security system, enable the setting to download and install security patches, as this will make your device more vigilant to ways a hacker can get into its system. This will avoid instances like unpatched vulnerabilities.
