In the network we can suffer many different types of cyber attacks. Hackers are capable of attacking all the devices we have at home, be it a television, a video player... Now, what is a cybercriminal really looking for?
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 an echoed report 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 on the hardware of those devices.
The main objective is to turn these 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.
But an attacker is not only going to focus on this, as they could even gain access to the network and attack other connected devices. That is why it is essential to be protected and not make any mistakes that could leave us exposed 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 is mainly exploited by cybercriminals. But it is also convenient to change the username.
In addition, it is essential that these computers are properly updated. Vulnerabilities can arise and those flaws are precisely what can allow the entry of intruders. We must install the available patches at all times and form a security barrier.
On the other hand, it is convenient to actively check the connected devices and see that everything is in order. For example, analyzing possible malfunctions or signals that indicate that an intruder has entered and turned that device into a botnet or is 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 holes that they can take advantage of to attack the network.
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