3 million smart toothbrushes used for DDoS attacks

A DDoS attack using a smart toothbrush botnet has paralyzed the operations of a Swiss company, causing millions of dollars in damage. The publication does not provide many details, but the Java language, which is quite popular in the Internet of Things (IoT) device segment, was used to attack the smart toothbrush. After the infection, the attackers launched an attack.

Smart toothbrushes are popular today.

Smart toothbrushes with modified firmware were targeted in the attack, flooding the Swiss company's website with bogus traffic, disabling services and causing major outages.

The incident highlights the growing threat landscape as IoT devices are deployed more widely. Smart toothbrushes, which have been around for a decade and appear innocuous and outside the digital ecosystem, are now becoming potential entry points for cybercriminals. This could have significant consequences for user privacy and security, as well as for national infrastructure and economic stability.

Experts warn that many IoT devices are inherently insecure for two main reasons: a lack of concern about their safety and a lack of interfaces that would enhance security measures. For example, smart toothbrushes do not have security settings, and users cannot install anti-virus software on refrigerators.

In some cases, basic digital security standards will help protect users. For example, people should not charge IoT devices via public USB ports as they can be used for hacking. Similarly, be wary of public Wi-Fi networks. Unless absolutely necessary, users can do without an internet-connected device. If a Smart TV that requires the same connectivity as a smartphone is necessary, then an internet-connected washing machine, iron or toothbrush is probably overkill.

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