Quote:The first six months of 2021 have seen a more than 100-percent growth in cyberattacks against internet-of-things (IoT) devices, researchers have found.
According to a Kaspersky analysis of its telemetry from honeypots shared with Threatpost, the firm detected more than 1.5 billion IoT attacks – up from 639 million during the previous half year, which is more than twice the volume.
“Since IoT devices, from smartwatches to smart home accessories, have become an essential part of our everyday lives, cybercriminals have skillfully switched their attention to this area,” said Dan Demeter, security expert at Kaspersky. “We see that once users’ interest in smart devices rose, attacks also intensified.”
It should be noted that it’s not just a concern on the personal front, either. With millions still working from home, cybercriminals are targeting corporate resources via home networks and in-home smart devices too, according to Red Canary’s Grant Oviatt. They know organizations haven’t quite gotten used to the new perimeter — or lack thereof.
“Throughout the past 12 months, the lack of [incident] preparedness has become increasingly evident, especially with the influx of personal devices logging onto corporate networks, the resulting reduced endpoint visibility, expanded attack surface and surge in attack vectors,” he said in a recent Infosec Insider column for Threatpost.
In real-world attacks, the end result of attacks on IoT gear is evolving, Kaspersky found: Infected devices being used to steal personal or corporate data as mentioned, and mine cryptocurrencies, on top of traditional DDoS attacks in which the devices are added to a botnet.
Read more: IoT Attacks Skyrocket, Doubling in 6 Months | Threatpost
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