Hackers took control of robot vacuum cleaners across the U.S. earlier this year, allegedly making them shout racist obscenities in their owners’ homes.
Daniel Swenson, a lawyer based in Minnesota, claimed that his cleaning robot came into his living room and started shouting obscenities in front of his wife and 13-year-old son.
He said the voice sounded like a teenager in an interview with ABC.
If shouting racist obscenities weren’t bad enough, the vacuums include remote viewing features, meaning it may have been possible for the hackers to access their cameras remotely while inside their owners’ homes.
Another victim told ABC they had their dog chased around their Los Angeles home by a rogue vacuum on May 24—the same day the Minnesota man had his vacuum breached.
The manufacturer, Ecovacs, confirmed that security breaches had occurred in an official statement, but denied its systems had been compromised directly.
The Chinese company blamed “credential stuffing”, where hackers use login details that have been re-used across multiple websites or apps to gain access to a system. For example, a hacker might discover someone’s Instagram password and attempt to gain access to their account with an online retailer.
The news comes after cybersecurity researchers identified a myriad of security vulnerabilities in Ecovacs devices just a few months ago.
The researchers claimed they were able to use one of their robot’s Bluetooth connections to take control of the device from a distance of up to 450 feet. Once the device had been compromised via Bluetooth, the hackers could then remotely access the remote from anywhere in the world, provided the robot was connected to a Wi-Fi network.
The researchers, who presented their findings at a conference reported by News, were also able to switch on robots’ microphones and cameras remotely during their research to spy on their owners.
Privacy-invading incidents like these may be terrifying for many consumers, who have long been scared by the possibility of their smart devices invading their privacy.
In 2020, a survey by PCMag found that 68 percent of respondents think that smart home devices listen to you when you aren’t aware, and share the data with the companies who make them.
“ECOVACS has always prioritized product and data security, as well as the protection of consumer privacy,” said a company spokesperson. “We assure customers that our existing products offer a high level of security in daily life and that consumers can confidently use ECOVACS products.”
The firm advised users to take steps such as using strong, unique passwords and strengthening their WiFi security.
Get Our Best Stories!
Sign up for What’s New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
