Did you know the average internet-enabled household contains more than ten connected devices? With IoT devices proliferating almost every aspect of our everyday lives, it’s no wonder IoT-based attacks are becoming smarter and more widespread than ever before. From DDoS to home network exposures, it appears cybercriminals have set their sights on the digital dependence inside the smart home — and users must be prepared.
A smart home in today’s world is no longer a wave of the future, but rather just a sign of the times we live in. You would be hard pressed to find a home that didn’t contain some form of smart device. From digital assistants to smart plugs, with more endpoints comes more avenues bad actors can use to access home networks. As recently as 2018, users saw virtual assistants, smart TVs, and even smart plugs appear secure, but under the surface have security flaws that could facilitate home network exposures by bad actors in the future. Whereas some IoT devices were actually used to conduct botnet attacks, like an IoT thermometer and home Wi-Fi routers.
While federal agencies, like the FBI, and IoT device manufacturers are stepping up to do their part to combat IoT-based cyberattacks, there are still precautions users should take to ensure their smart home and family remain secure. Consider this your IoT cybersecurity kit to keep unwelcome visitors out of your home network
