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One in 10 Consumers in the UAE Fail to Put Any Measures in Place to Protect their Connected Homes
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Recent global research from Norton by Symantec (NASDAQ: SYMC) reveals one-third of UAE consumers have smart home devices, and an overwhelming majority of them (86 percent) find they simplify their life. However, while they welcome the added convenience Internet-connected thermostats, TVs, gaming consoles and baby monitors offer, consumers’ lax security habits and overconfidence in connected devices are leaving them vulnerable.
Recent research by Symantec found that an unsecured Internet of Things (IoT) device is attacked within two minutes once connected to the Internet. According to the Norton Cyber Security Insights Report, a survey of nearly 21,000 consumers globally, including 883 in the UAE, people are beginning to recognise that with each connected device purchase, a new avenue opens for hackers to launch attacks in their home.
· One in two (50 percent) believe that as connected home devices become more popular, hackers will start targeting them more often.
· More than half (55 percent) believe it’s more likely someone could gain unauthorised access to their connected home device than to their physical home.
· A whopping 64 percent believe connected home devices provide hackers new ways to steal their personal information
Yet despite acknowledging the security risks that come with the smart home, device vulnerabilities and poor consumer security habits are increasingly acting as an easy on-ramp for hackers to access them.
· One in 10 connected home device users in the UAE don’t have any protective measures in place for their devices.
· One in six (18 percent) admit their Wi-Fi network is not password protected
· One in five (19 percent) do not change the default password when setting up their Wi-Fi network
· Half (49 percent) admit they don’t know how to set-up a secure home Wi-Fi network or router and more than half don’t know how to keep its software up-to-date (70 percent)
· More than half (58 percent) of consumers surveyed don’t believe there are enough connected device users for them to be a worthwhile target for hackers.
· More than two-thirds (68 percent) of consumers said they believe connected home devices were designed with online security in mind. However, Symantec researchers identified security vulnerabilities in 50 different connected home devices ranging from smart thermostats to smart hubs that could make the devices easy targets for attacks[1].
“There have been an array of high-profile attacks in recent months demonstrating how cybercriminals are taking advantage of poor device security to hijack consumers’ home networks, spread malware and launch botnet attacks unbeknownst to their device owners,” said Tamim Taufiq, Head of Norton Middle East. “While smart devices may offer some notable benefits and convenience, there are also risks associated. Just as hackers learned to benefit from targeting social media and financial accounts, they are on their way to learning how access to connected home devices can be lucrative.”
Tips on how to keep home networks and connected devices safe:
· Review/research the reputation, capabilities and security features of a smart device before purchase.
· Set-up and/or change the default login and password information on your router and all the devices connected to your home network. Most importantly, always use strong and unique passwords for your router, smart devices and your Wi-Fi network(s).
· Use a strong encryption method when setting up Wi-Fi network access (WPA).
· Consider disabling features and services you do not use or are not required.
· Modify the default privacy and security settings of your smart devices according to your needs.
· Consider turning off or disabling your smart devices and home network when not in use.
· Review the settings of voice-activated features and commands for potential privacy risks and change them according to your needs.
· Disable Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) on routers unless absolutely necessary.
· Consider using wired connections instead of a Wi-Fi connection where possible.
· Regularly check manufacturers’ websites for software updates and patches.
· Exercise caution when sharing sensitive information, such as your Wi-Fi password, with others. Consider setting up a specific network for guest use.
· Don’t use your real name when “naming” your device and Wi-Fi network.
· Consider the hidden costs of “free” services and products.
· Use security software if it is available.
Recent incidents involving home-connected devices include the massive Mirai botnet cyberattack in October 2016 from common smart household items, which took major websites down across the globe. There was also an attack that allowed anyone on the internet to watch live footage of thousands of home webcams and baby monitors, as well as cases where people modified the thermostat of their ex-spouse or disabled security locks. There have also been reports of people taking control of home automation systems belonging to others. The US Federal Trade Commission settled a case against a firm that makes Internet-enabled security cameras and baby monitors. The FTC said that the cameras had been marketed as secure when, in fact, “the cameras had faulty software that left them open to online viewing, and in some instances listening, by anyone with the cameras’ Internet address,” the FTC said. “As a result of this failure, hundreds of consumers’ private camera feeds were made public on the Internet”.
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About the Norton Cyber Security Insights Report
The Norton Cyber Security Insights Report is an online survey of 20,907 device users ages 18+ across 21 markets, commissioned by Norton by Symantec and produced by independent research firm Edelman Intelligence. The margin of error for the total global sample is +/-0.68%.
About Symantec
Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ: SYMC), the world’s leading cyber security company, helps organizations, governments and people secure their most important data wherever it lives. Organizations across the world look to Symantec for strategic, integrated solutions to defend against sophisticated attacks across endpoints, cloud and infrastructure. Likewise, a global community of more than 50 million people and families rely on Symantec’s Norton and LifeLock product suites to protect their digital lives at home and across their devices. Symantec operates one of the world’s largest civilian cyber intelligence networks, allowing it to see and protect against the most advanced threats. For additional information, please visit www.symantec.com or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
[1] Ballano Barcena, M., & Wueest, C. (2016). Insecurity in the Internet of Things, Symantec [White paper].
© Press Release 2017
