Back in October The Verge reported that a niche IoT product allowing users to remotely lock and unlock a male chastity cage through an app has so many security flaws that hackers can take permanent control over the device and trap the victim’s genitals.
The vulnerability of IoT devices in general is a problem that presents a challenge not only for users’ personal lives, but also for companies they work for. As more and more users are working from home and connect to corporate infrastructures using the same Wi-Fi their household IoT devices are connected to, that also creates a gateway for hackers.
Since the IoT industry is in its infancy, almost all such devices have the potential to become cybersecurity risks. In the rush to bring them to the market, most manufacturers ignore security aspects.
All IoT owners are advised to take security measures upfront:
- Change passwords if possible. Default factory passwords should be changed to strong ones containing capital letters, numbers, and symbols. Passwords should be different for each device.
- Update all devices. Manufacturers often release updates that fix critical security vulnerabilities, and it’s important to install those updates as soon as they’re available.
- Create an offline Wi-Fi LAN. Most IoT devices can operate on a LAN (local area network). Such local networks can connect smart devices inside one’s home without the need to connect to the internet.
- Secure the router. Some routers can support VPN encryption. Routers with a VPN allow users to connect IoT devices in an office or at home. This, however, blocks all incoming communication, which may be inconvenient for users who want to control their IoT devices remotely.
Last year, researchers from a tech firm SEC Consult announced that the private sex life of at least 50,000 users had been exposed by a sex toy ‘Vibratissimo Panty Buster.’ Multiple vulnerabilities put at risk not only the privacy and data but also the physical safety of the owners. All customers’ data was accessible via the internet in such a way that explicit images, chat logs, sexual orientation, email addresses, and passwords were visible in clear text. But it’s not the worst part. The ‘Panty Buster’ toys could be hacked to remotely inflict sexual pleasure on victims without their consent.
“Of course, it doesn’t mean that, if something can be hacked, it will be. Many of these cases are still theoretical, but staying cautious would do no harm,” says Daniel Markuson, digital privacy expert at NordVPN.
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Guest Post: NordVPN Discusses How Hackers Can Take Male Chastity Cage Users Hostage
Back in October The Verge reported that a niche IoT product allowing users to remotely lock and unlock a male chastity cage through an app has so many security flaws that hackers can take permanent control over the device and trap the victim’s genitals.
The vulnerability of IoT devices in general is a problem that presents a challenge not only for users’ personal lives, but also for companies they work for. As more and more users are working from home and connect to corporate infrastructures using the same Wi-Fi their household IoT devices are connected to, that also creates a gateway for hackers.
Since the IoT industry is in its infancy, almost all such devices have the potential to become cybersecurity risks. In the rush to bring them to the market, most manufacturers ignore security aspects.
All IoT owners are advised to take security measures upfront:
Last year, researchers from a tech firm SEC Consult announced that the private sex life of at least 50,000 users had been exposed by a sex toy ‘Vibratissimo Panty Buster.’ Multiple vulnerabilities put at risk not only the privacy and data but also the physical safety of the owners. All customers’ data was accessible via the internet in such a way that explicit images, chat logs, sexual orientation, email addresses, and passwords were visible in clear text. But it’s not the worst part. The ‘Panty Buster’ toys could be hacked to remotely inflict sexual pleasure on victims without their consent.
“Of course, it doesn’t mean that, if something can be hacked, it will be. Many of these cases are still theoretical, but staying cautious would do no harm,” says Daniel Markuson, digital privacy expert at NordVPN.
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This entry was posted on December 8, 2020 at 8:12 am and is filed under Commentary with tags NordVPN. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.