As cyberattacks continue to rise, the FBI is warning consumers about the risks of unsecured internet-connected devices.
Threats can be and are being made against internet-connected radios, clocks, video and audio streaming devices, routers and other IoT devices just as they are on traditional computers, the FBI said in a public service announcement.
“Devices in developed nations are particularly attractive targets because they allow access to many business websites that block traffic from suspicious or foreign IP addresses,” according to the release. “Cyber actors use the compromised device’s IP address to engage in intrusion activities, making it difficult to filter regular traffic from malicious traffic.”
Compromised devices are used to maintain anonymity, send spam email, obfuscate network traffic, mask internet browsing, generate click-fraud activities, engage in illegal commerce, and for other nefarious purposes, according to the announcement.
To combat the problem, it is recommended to regularly reboot devices to remove malware stored in memory, change default usernames and passwords, regularly use an up-to-date antivirus, ensure devices are up to date and have the latest security patches, configure network firewalls to block traffic from unauthorized IP addresses and disable port forwarding, and isolate IoT devices from other network connections.
