Russians were told about the possible surveillance of scammers through smart vacuum cleaners

Hackers have learned how to hack smart vacuum cleaners by gaining access to users' personal data. This was announced on February 20 by Sergey Zolotukhin, cybersecurity expert at F6.

"Hacking smart vacuum cleaners, or rather their software, has long been a reality. Today, intruders, in search of ways to enrich themselves or achieve their other goals, are trying to penetrate not only our consciousness by manipulating it, but also penetrate our homes, where users' cybersecurity is weakening," he told RIA Novosti.

According to the expert, by going through the router's vulnerabilities or choosing a Wi-Fi password, a hacker can gain access to all devices on the network. At the same time, it is almost impossible to visually identify a break—in - the vacuum cleaner will continue to clean properly. However, the data he collects, including recordings from a microphone and camera, can be used for blackmail or manipulation.

"Since in the modern world many devices use a camera, microphone and various sensors in order to benefit and expand their functionality, it can be stated that we have entered an era of technically possible full transparency," the expert said.

Zolotukhin stressed that the security of users directly depends on their cyber literacy and responsible attitude towards owning smart assistants.

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Such scam schemes are gaining relevance in late winter and early spring.

Kaspersky ICS CERT expert Vladimir Dashchenko said on February 11 that attackers could use smart pet feeders as a tool to spy on owners. By gaining access to such devices, criminals can steal confidential information, including video recordings from built-in cameras. In addition, fraudsters can gain access to other connected devices. The expert added that this is no longer a hypothetical threat: there have been cases of hacking of home cameras, baby monitors, animal feeders and other smart devices.

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