Study Warns Smart Devices Make It Easier For Burglars To Break In

A fair worker uses a tablet to operate a tumble dryer during a demonstration how to operate smart controlled household appliances for 'IQ800' washing and drying machines

A group of researchers is warning that many smart devices can be used as backdoors by technologically proficient criminals to break into your home. The researchers from William & Mary University in Virginia said that many devices, which include everything from sprinkler systems to smart appliances, are not secure and can be hacked by criminals. 

Once they hack the smart device, they can use it to access other, more secure devices such as security cameras or your alarm system. They can disable your security system and turn off cameras, allowing them to break into your home. 

The researchers explained that the issue lies in how these devices communicate with each other. They use a centralized system, which allows the devices to be controlled from your phone, making them vulnerable to attack. If a hacker manages to gain access to one unsecured device they can then easily gain access to other devices which have better security. 

“While the convenience is beneficial, security flaws in the platforms or integrated third-party products can have serious consequences for the integrity of a user’s physical environment,” the researchers write in their report.

They warned that there is no easy solution to the problem and that it requires a complete redesign of how apps and smart devices interact.

“What we often find in these types of evaluations is there isn’t one easy solution,” said Adwait Nadkarni, one of the co-authors of the study. “The challenge comes in having to look at the environment as a whole, when there isn’t exactly one main problem or flaw. What you see here with smart homes is a systemic failure, many different bits and pieces coming together to create these flaws.” 

Photo: Getty Images


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