There are many cyber attacks that we can suffer on the network. Hackers can attack any device we have at home, such as a television, a video player or even smart light bulbs. It is what is known as the Internet of Things. Now, what is a cybercriminal really looking for from these devices? We are going to talk about this in this article.
IoT devices, target of cybercriminals
In recent years, cybercriminals have seen IoT devices as a very interesting target to achieve their attacks. We have more and more devices of this type and on many occasions they are not updated, which makes them vulnerable and can be exploited.
According to a report we echo, conducted by researchers at NIST and the University of Florida, most attackers look for open ports on these devices. This allows them to disable firewalls and have easier access. Also, they detected that many of them look for specific information about the hardware of those devices.
But what exactly are you looking for with this? The main objective is to turn these Internet of Things devices into a botnet , in order to carry out DDoS attacks . A clear example is the Mirai botnet, one of the most powerful and well-known. But they also seek to mine cryptocurrencies through these devices and thus generate income using the victims’ devices.
For this report, security researchers created vulnerabilities and exposed computers so that they could test properly. They found that the majority of attackers, once they exploited the access and could control the device, their next objective was to make that device part of a botnet or use it to mine cryptocurrencies.
Tips for protecting IoT devices
But an attacker is not only going to focus on this that we have mentioned, since he could even access the network and attack other connected devices. That is why it is essential to be protected and not make any mistakes that could expose us on the network.
A very important point to protect IoT devices is to change the default values . In many cases they come with basic passwords or even come open, without any type of encryption. It is essential that we change the key and that it is also strong and complex. This is what cybercriminals mainly exploit. But it is also convenient to change the username. It is important to install the IoT equipment correctly.
In addition, it is essential that these computers are properly updated . Vulnerabilities can emerge, and those flaws are precisely what can allow intruders to enter. We must install available patches at all times and form a security barrier.
On the other hand, it is convenient to actively review the connected devices and see that everything is in order. For example, analyze possible malfunctions or signals that tell us that an intruder has been able to enter and turn that device into a botnet or be mining cryptocurrencies, which are two of the most common objectives.
Ultimately, hackers are targeting IoT devices. It is essential that we protect them correctly and that we do not keep open any security breaches that they can take advantage of to attack the network.
