Smart Homes vs. Pranksters

July 13, 2022

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I’ve been spending a fair amount of time on neighborhood social networks NextDoor and Neighbors, looking for information about my missing cat. I got a call this morning about a potential sighting from a woman who found me the old-fashioned way--bright neon signs I posted around the neighborhood.

Still, scouring the wealth of information neighbors can gather and share using their video camera doorbells has been entertaining. Prankster teenagers who might doorbell ditch have been pushed off of streets and onto their computers. According to a recent study by researchers at the NCC Group, Which? and the Global Cyber Alliance, hackers are attempting via automation to reach into our homes, using many devices that connect to the Internet, such as smart TVs, printers, wireless security cameras, and Wi-Fi kettles.

Meant for catching package thieves, smart products are getting hacked for other purposes.

The new doorbell ditch
A security strategist for Netwrix, a data security company, described the most benign of smart home device hackers as prankster kids, having a laugh over turning on lights in the middle of the night. Weak password and username combos, left unchanged from the device purchase, can make it easy for hackers to access. In more dangerous cases, cameras and locked doors can be monitored for vulnerable moments.

Ring, the doorbell/recording device that Amazon acquired in 2018, dealt with its own security issues last year when its users' home addresses and locations were accessible through the Neighbor app.

Sequoia Capital-backed Verkada, a security camera startup, faced a hacker attack exposing footage from Tesla factories, hospitals, and prisons.

All eyes on smart homes
Still, despite these and other potential hacks, the smart home industry is thriving. According to Statista data, revenue in the Smart Home market is projected to reach $33.66BN in 2022 and $51.23BN by 2026. Here are some tips from a hacker on how to protect your devices.

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