When it comes to cyber attacks and malware, the most commonly heard of are infected computers and phones. But gadgets and smart assistants are equally at risk of infection. This is proven by the recent massive DDoS attack that infected more than three million smart toothbrushes with malware, causing millions of euros in losses.
While computers and smartphones receive security patches on an almost weekly basis, smart assistants like scales, washing machines or toothbrushes are often overlooked, and these devices receive updates relatively infrequently, creating significant security risks. This is proven by the report of the Swiss newspaper “Aargauer Zeitung” that the security hole in smart toothbrushes caused millions of euros in losses. This happened after more than three million infected toothbrushes “accessed” the website of a Swiss company, causing the servers to crash and the website to be unavailable for several hours, thus causing the company several million euros in losses.
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Cyber security company Fortinet said in a later report that any device connected to the Internet is a potential target and can be abused for such cyber attacks. This is especially true for smart home cameras, webcams, baby monitors, and other less important gadgets that can allow attackers access to sensitive data.
To ensure at least a minimum level of protection, users should, if possible, turn on automatic updates for all Internet-connected devices if the manufacturer provides them with security patches at all.
2024-02-08 09:30:00
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