Cybersecurity

FBI ‘Drive-By’ Hacking Warning Just Got Real: Here’s How This Malicious New Threat Works

“Hackers can use innocent devices to do a virtual drive-by of your digital life,” warned the FBI in December. “Unsecured devices can allow hackers a path into your router, giving the bad guy access to everything else on your home network that you thought was secure.” The risk, according to the FBI, was the surge in connected devices at home and at work. Every one of which is a potential vulnerability.

Well now the reality of that risk has been exposed by the researchers at Check Point, who continue their mission to expose vulnerabilities in the everyday technology we surround ourselves with. The firm’s head of research, Yaniv Balmas, tells me that his team decided to target IoT, testing for security holes in these connected smart devices.

And find a serious vulnerability is exactly what they did. “Technically,” Balmas tells me, “with this exploit I can be 200 or 300 metres away from your home or office. I can take over your device, I can connect to your network.” Which makes this the reality of “drive-by” hacking. And the devices exposed have been sold by the tens of millions.