Hackers seize control of robot vacuums raising IOT security concerns
In an expanding front for cybersecurity concerns, hackers accessed Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni robotic vacuums in several U.S. cities, using them to harass owners with racist slurs and chase pets, ABC News reported. Affected users, including Minnesota lawyer Daniel Swenson, described hearing strange noises from their devices, which escalated to a voice, likely from a young person, yelling slurs. Similar incidents occurred in El Paso and Los Angeles. Ecovacs identified the issue as a “credential stuffing event” and blocked the originating IP address but found no evidence of user data theft. The company plans a security update in November. The incident highlights ongoing security risks with internet-connected smart home devices, which have faced similar hacking issues in the past.