Why Your Smart Devices Are a Hacker’s Dream!

Today, there are over 20 billion interconnected devices in use (interconnected here being your smartphones, smart cameras, and smart thermostats, etc), and by the end of 2025, it is estimated there will be over 40 billion interconnected devices in use, cutting across homes, hospitals, and industries. That’s a significant increase with tremendous upside, but of course, there is a catch. Many of these devices talk to each other and collect our data without proper security, making them easy targets for hackers. In this article, we will break down three major security problems: weak authentication, unencrypted data transmission, and automation exploitation. Let’s walk through some examples of these issues and how they can affect our day-to-day lives.

Weak Authentication: Imagine going on a trip and leaving the front door to your home wide open. That’s basically what weak authentication does to IoT devices. Many of these devices come from manufacturers with default usernames and passwords like “admin” or “12345.” It’s up to the user (YOU) to change them, but when you don’t, hackers can easily guess the login and take control. A perfect example of this is the Mirai Botnet Attack. In 2016, hackers scanned the internet for IoT devices still using default credentials. And as you might have guessed, most people never change them, so these hackers had a field day. They hijacked thousands of routers, cameras, and smart gadgets and turned them into a botnet (a group of infected devices controlled remotely by a hacker). The attackers then used this group of infected devices to launch a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack (think of it like a traffic jam but for websites, causing them to shut down). In this case, it disrupted major platforms like Twitter, Netflix, and Reddit. These are real and happen a lot more frequently than you might expect. So, how can you make life harder for hackers? Nothing revolutionary, change those default passwords :) (And please pick something stronger than ‘12345', ‘password’, ‘your date of birth, etc). And where possible, add extra layers of security, like multi-factor authentication (MFA) (requiring an additional security method other than just a password to log in, e.g., this is when a code gets sent to your phone or a trusted authenticator app). Again, few systems are impregnable, but the task is to do the best you can to ensure the security & safety of you and your devices.

Unencrypted Data (The Eavesdropping Risk): Let me walk you through a quick fun scenario. Picture sending a love letter on a postcard instead of a sealed envelope. This means everyone who comes across it can read the letter’s content. That’s what happens when your IoT device sends unencrypted data. The data is sent in plain text, and anyone with the right tools can intercept and read it. Many smart devices fail to encrypt sensitive information such as login credentials, making them prime targets for hackers. I will be sharing examples to help you visualize how this can affect you if proper precautions are not taken. A good example here is the VTech Data Breach in 2015. A company producing smart toys, but was not too smart with their security. Hackers were able to access the personal information of over 11 million users, including 6.4 million children. The breach exposed names, addresses, and even chat logs because VTech failed to encrypt or scramble the data it stored and transmitted. The attacker used a simple technique called SQL injection (This is tricking the system into giving up access by slipping dangerous code into input fields like search boxes on the website). With that, they got in through the front door and scooped up the data, and no hacking wizardry was required. This incident is one of the many prime examples of why we need to implement end-to-end encryption to protect user privacy and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. (That’s just a fancy way of saying the data is scrambled from the moment it leaves your device and can only be unscrambled by the intended receiver.) This way, you are putting your love letter in a lock box, so only the person who has the key can read it. Write away! But remember to be secure :)

Automation Exploitation (When Smart Devices Turn Against You): Automation in IoT brings convenience. Your smart thermostat adjusts the temperature, your smart lock secures your doors, and your automatic brakes save you when you lose focus or are not quick enough. But what happens when attackers take control of these automated processes? It’s not just about someone spying on your data, but possibly putting you in harm’s way. A good demonstration of this occurred in 2015 when security researchers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek remotely hacked a Jeep Cherokee. They found weaknesses in the car’s Uconnect entertainment system and used it to take control of critical functions like the steering, brakes, and transmission. They turned the car into a moving weapon, and it forced Chrysler to recall 1.4 million vehicles. This wasn’t just a hack, it was a life-threatening danger. It shows how insecure automation in IoT devices can do way more than mess with your phone, it can impact your safety. That’s why it’s super important to keep your devices updated and be picky about what apps and services you connect to them.

These are 3 examples from thousands of cases that occur regularly. If there’s one thing these should tell us, it’s that smart devices are not always that smart when it comes to security. From toy breaches to cars being hacked, the threats are real, and as we continue to digitize, they’re not slowing down anytime soon.

To protect ourselves, start small by changing those lazy default passwords, verifying the machines you purchase (secure manufacturers), and pushing manufacturers to step up encryption in every device. Lastly, test, test, test those automated systems like your life depends on it (it actually might…). As we invite more gadgets into our homes, pockets, and even our cars, staying secure is paramount.

Enjoy this one, I enjoy discussing security, so drop a comment, reach out, and share with a friend!

As always, friends, stay smart, stay secure!