HOME security gadgets like Ring doorbells are increasingly being targeted by cyber crooks and their nasty phishing campaigns.
Cybersecurity experts at Trustwave have warned Ring customers – and owners of similar gadgets from other brands – that home security tech is being used against the people its supposed to protect.
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“Scams are so common these days, the ability for an email scam to be both broad and detailed has changed,” Ed Williams of Trustwave, tells The Sun.
“Add in the flexibility and sheer power of generative AI and it becomes likely that a phishing attack or scam will be successful.”
Breaking into the gadgets themselves is tricky, so hackers have resorted to using web-based attacks against home security owners.
Users must assume that every email is malicious, if it’s too good to be true, then it probably is.
Ed Williams, VP of Pen Testing EMEA Trustwave
Phishing emails are used to tease sensitive information out of customers.
Dodgy emails are also warning innocent recipients of an impending suspension of their Ring account, citing outdated membership information.
It’s this kind of false urgency that tricks people into giving away important information that can leave their accounts – and gadgets – at risk.
These phishing messages often include a file attachment that hosts a malicious link.
Upon clicking, recipients are directed to a fake Ring login page designed to illicitly harvest sensitive information.
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This information includes your email address, password, national insurance or social security number and even your credit card details.
“Users must assume that every email is malicious, if it’s too good to be true, then it probably is,” Williams added.
“If people believe that they have been impacted, it’s best to immediately speak to Ring to understand if it was a scam or not.
“If it was, speak to the police and they will be best placed to advise on what to do next.”
How to prevent a Ring scam
Trustwave has suggested three ways Ring customers can keep their accounts – and their cameras – protected.
Passwords
A 20 character-long random password containing uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers is the most secure you can get.
“Users should make sure that their monitoring cameras are properly secured with a strong unique password that is not reused with other services or accounts,” says Williams.
Wi-Fi
“Similarly, make sure your wireless network is similarly secured,” added Williams.
Ensure you’re not making these five easy – but hugely risky – security mistakes with your internet router.
Updates
“Finally, keep your camera patched and up to date,” explains Williams.
“If the product has the option for automatic updates, turn it on.”
This means your gadgets have the security software up-to-date, and there are no back-door bugs that let hackers sneak in.
Ring has more information on keeping your account safe on a support page here.