Reports reveal that hackers have targeted a Swiss company by infecting millions of internet-connected smart toothbrushes with malware, orchestrating a significant cyber attack.
The compromised toothbrushes were linked together to form a botnet, which was then utilized to execute a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. This type of attack overwhelms websites and servers with an excessive volume of web traffic.
As a result of the attack, the website of the targeted Swiss firm was rendered inaccessible, as reported by local newspaper Aargauer Zeitung, which initially broke the story. The unnamed company reportedly suffered significant financial losses amounting to millions of euros during the period of website downtime.
Cybersecurity firm Fortinet has raised alarms about the risks associated with smart devices, which encompass various gadgets such as webcams, baby monitors, doorbells, and household appliances.
Stefan Züger, head of system technology at Fortinet Switzerland, emphasized, “Every device that is connected to the Internet is a potential target – or can be misused for an attack.” Züger urged owners of smart technologies to implement protective measures to safeguard themselves against potential threats.
The proliferation of internet-connected and AI-enabled devices was prominently showcased at the CES tech conference in Las Vegas last month, with an array of products ranging from pillows to mirrors integrated with such technology.
However, the surge in popularity of these devices has been accompanied by mounting security concerns regarding the vulnerabilities they may expose if adequate safeguards are not implemented.
A recent report from network performance firm Netscout highlighted a significant uptick in malicious botnet activities, with observed activity doubling in January alone.
“This battle is just beginning and the adversary is performing reconnaissance to uncover areas to exploit,” the report cautioned, underlining the escalating threat posed by cybercriminals leveraging cloud-based resources for nefarious purposes.
source news: https://www.independent.co.uk
