Are my devices spying on me?

What if we tell you that your smart dishwasher can blink its lights on for no reason, your smart oven can start itself without receiving a command from you, or even worse, your robot vacuum cleaner (with in-built camera) could actually stalk you around your house. We would never wish that you find yourself in such a scenario, but if you do, we suggest consulting a cyber security expert before calling for an exorcist. Why? Because more than evil spirits, hackers are trying to take control of your IoT devices to fulfill their malicious purposes. If it has left you wondering how in this world can a hacker potentially harm you with your home appliances, such as a robot vacuum cleaner (of course not by crashing it into you), we have some news for you.

The reason your IoT home appliances or other devices, such as television, are called smart is because they are powered with AI and connected with the internet, so you can turn on the geyser or switch on the AC right from your phone, minutes before reaching home. Due to the versatility of the technology, there could be several loopholes or bugs in the security with which a hacker could break into the system. In 2016, Check Point security researchers disclosed how a vulnerability in one million LG smart devices exposed users to the risk of unauthorized remote control of their home appliances, including air conditioners, dryers, dishwashers, washing machines, ovens, refrigerators, and more.

Coming back to our question, why would a hacker be interested in taking control of your smart dishwasher especially when he cannot even wash his dishes in it. Fair enough? Well, your smart dishwasher knows way more than ‘how to wash dishes.’ It can tell a hacker your geolocation and also what time you feel like washing dishes in it. Unfortunately, it is the same scenario with each one of your smart appliances. Just think about it, how easy it would be for a person with nefarious intentions to break into your house after knowing where you put up and what time you like your evening coffee.

The hacking does not end here, as tracking your location is one of the many things that cyber criminals could do with your devices. Imagine someone keeping an eye on you in your bedroom through your smart television’s camera and recording everything that lies in the camera’s sight. Such type of hacking is usually done to blackmail the victim and then to demand ransom. Cyber criminals can hack television by getting access to its user settings and then installing malware in the television. Worst part about it is; hackers can watch you even while television is on standby.

Even though companies are working day & night while investing millions of dollars to make their devices hack proof, cyber criminals are managing to stay one step ahead with more innovative ways of hacking. One such example is the use of ultrasonic waves to take control of your smart voice assistant and use it to gain access to your house, unlock your car, or even make online purchases. Interestingly, your smart voice assistant might not be smart enough to differentiate between your voice commands and a silent ultrasonic wave’s command. Since ultrasonic waves could penetrate through physical obstacles, the hacker could be sending the waves from 100 meters away from your device.

Amid tussle between cyber criminals and security system developers, it is the user that suffers in countless ways. In the last two decades we have witnessed the evolution of hacking from sneaking into someone’s mailbox to potentially killing a person by hacking their insulin pumps.

According to the experts, blockchain technology is the most favorable alternative that holds the potential of completely replacing and revolutionizing the current security systems to give users a more secure environment and the privacy they deserve.