Electronic assistants such as Google Home or Amazon Echo could leak your personal details such as bank info to hackers, say security experts. As the said devices are brought to life by voice commands, the feature can pose a major security risk, as they are always listening to your private conversations. This in-turn can pose a cyber threat to users as it can help hackers sneak into your private lives happening in your living rooms or bedrooms.
In general, virtual assistants like Google Home and Amazon Echo are brought by millions every year in order to simplify their lifestyle to a large extent. The smart speakers used in these gadgets can help play music, switch on/off lights, do online shopping, provide weather forecasts, order groceries, and answer a variety of questions.
Cyber security expert Dr. Jason Nurse warns that the voice activation features of virtual electronic assistants can backfire as hackers can find a way to compromise these devices working in several homes by having them record all of the time without the knowledge of their users.
The devices could record your holiday plans, your credit card number while ordering a meal or could also know who will be at home on a specific day. The gathered data can then be used by criminals to kidnap, burgle or impersonate a person online for various activities.
Dr. Jason Nurse who’s a research scholar at Oxford University disclosed all these details while speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival.
And he said that the best way to deal with the situation is to switch off the device or mute when you are doing something private. And remember, think twice while saying or doing something in front of the devices.
Mr. Jason feels that this vulnerability could be used by individuals or group of hackers in future to sneak into the private lives of celebrities, political stalwarts or even the Presidents of some developed nations( but only if they use).
So, what’s you say on this privacy alert….?
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