Security flaws

Hackers exploit the weak security and 24-hour connectivity of the consumer devices, like toasters, washers and webcams, to recruit them into botnets, which are used to launch attacks on other targets. While the devices themselves have only limited computing power and memory, they can still be harnessed together to create a formidable army of robot devices.


Launching a DDoS attack

Hackers do this by automatically scanning the internet for devices protected by default or easily crackable passwords which they can recruit to their botnet. The hacker can then leverage the botnet to launch attacks on other devices, in what is called a distributed denial of service attack, or DDoS, which attempts to knock a website offline by flooding its DNS provider with traffic.


Other security risks

The compromised devices in the botnet can also be used to hack into devices on the same network, stealing sensitive data or facilitating other malicious activities.


Source: Reuters
By Simon Scarr, Jin Wu and Jeremy Wagstaff | REUTERS GRAPHICS