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“As you see other connected devices on the network, you might no ce di erent things,” said Cernak, “like the light on your camera is on when you’re not broadcas ng. Some devices control your physical environment like the connected thermostat that starts hea ng when you haven’t turned the heat on, or the refrigerator starts to thaw out and you’re not doing it — that could be a sign. The rst indica on something is awry is that it’s not opera ng the way it should be.”
Smart televisions have very real vulnerabili es and allow hackers and others access into a home without anyone being aware they are being watched.
How do hackers nd your network?
Most hackers aren’t being discriminate when they look for networks or devices to hack, said Cernak. “They are just looking for sheer volume for DNS a acks. They have tools allowing them to search the internet, and they are just looking for mass quan es at this point.”
There are a variety of so ware programs that allow hackers to nd devices. “Cryptoware scans and looks for mass vulnerabili es,” he added. Most personal devices are just like mini computers so a lot of the same safety mechanisms you would apply to your computer also apply to your phone and other electronics.
The majority of a acks s ll occur through more tradi onal portals such as home Wi-Fi systems or clicking on the wrong link in an email.
Some devices such as smart TVs provide an opportunity for ambient listening so a hacker could hear what’s going on in your house. It is possible to turn o this op on, which frequently operates when the TV is turned on. Since the camera on the TV could be ac vated, this also becomes an invasion of privacy issue.
“It’s important for you to understand the risks you are assuming by deploying this type of technology,” said Cernak. “Most people would be appalled at the informa on that is collected and by whom.”