Cybercriminals used a botnet of smart toothbrushes in a DDoS attack that caused millions in losses
Three million smart toothbrushes were infected by hackers and used in a large-scale DDoS attack on the website of a Swiss company, the Aargauer Zeitung newspaper reports, citing a recent report. The company's website crashed as a result of the attack, which caused losses for the company estimated at millions of euros.
The vulnerability of these toothbrushes is related to their Java-based operating system (the source report does not mention a specific brand of toothbrushes). Typically, these devices are used to monitor and improve users' oral hygiene habits. However, hackers were able to infect toothbrushes with malware, turning them into part of a botnet — networks of devices controlled by hackers.
Swiss cybersecurity expert Stefan Züger of Fortinet has made several recommendations for protecting connected devices, including toothbrushes. He notes that every device connected to the Internet is a potential target for hackers who are constantly looking for vulnerabilities. The constant race between device manufacturers and cybercriminals poses a constant threat. Fortinet recently connected «unsecure» computer to the Internet and discovered that only 20 minutes passed before it became infected with malware.
There is no information yet about the Swiss company that suffered from a DDoS attack, however, as a rule, attackers make financial demands before using their «zombie armies» in DDoS attacks. Perhaps the Swiss company refused to pay, or the attack was a provocation by hackers aimed at demonstrating their capabilities.
This case is another warning to device owners about the need to update software, firmware and ensure the security of their networks. Following network security best practices and using antivirus software are becoming increasingly important to prevent such attacks.