Are you recently looking for Amazon Echo and Google Home to transform your apartment into a smart home? Does the polished voice of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant astonish you about the capabilities of technology? If these are related to you, then it is time to press the pause button. It is because according to the latest technology news, these smart speakers, in spite of helping you with a host of things, can help smart spies eavesdrop and steal your passwords.
What are the functions of the Amazon Echo and Google Home?
Now before going to the warning, let us have a brief idea about the functions of these smart speakers. Technology update news reveals that you can find perfect answers to almost all possible questions in the globe, set timers and alarms, and practically control all the electronic gadgets in your house from turning on room lights, controlling temperature on your AC, to playing your favorite music through spoken voice commands in smart speakers.
How does Amazon Echo and Google Home pose threats to you?
Have a look at the various ways Amazon Echo and Google Home pose threats to you.
∙ Soft Targets for Smart Hackers
According to the latest technology news, a Berlin-based Security Research Labs (SRL) operated by security researchers by Luise Frerichs and Fabian Bräunlein identified loopholes in Alexa Skills and Google Home Actions. Hackers can trick these smart speakers supporting apps to siphon out vital information about consumers. Initially developed to add advanced functions to smart speakers, these apps can end up delivering sensitive information about owners. Though smart speaker manufacturers develop highly sophisticated security systems, hackers and spies study the loopholes and design another method to counteract these security nets.
∙ Eavesdropping on Consumers
Along with fishing out sensitive information about smart speaker owners, hackers can also use these devices for eavesdropping attacks. Technology update news suggests that they continually listen to conversations and maintain a detailed sequence of activities of users even when consumers ask them to switch off. In this way, these devices threaten the privacy of smart speaker owners. After a video posted on YouTube showcasing the mode of action of smart spies, many consumers are thinking twice about the effectiveness of Amazon Echo and Google Home. Smart speaker owners are now waiting for the reaction from developers about the fixing of these security issues.
What is the mode of actions of hackers in targeting smart speakers?
Amazon Echo and Google Home users ask these advanced devices specific questions or urge them to complete a task like changing the temperature of the climate control system or set timer in water heaters. Smart spies and hackers usually manipulate these gadgets and program them to ask consumers to say their password. After this, they steal vital information about consumers by operating the password. In most cases, hackers use malware through third-party apps to infect smart speakers.
This was all about the security issues while using smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home. Security researchers do not urge you to abandon these smart devices completely. However, it is beneficial to remain cautious, especially when you utter the password for these gadgets.
