FBI advises consumers to secure their IoT devices to avoid swatting attacks
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued an announcement advising consumers to use complex, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication for their smart home devices (especially those equipped with cameras and voice capabilities) to avoid swatting attacks. According to the announcement, smart home device manufacturers notified law enforcement that offenders have stolen e-mail passwords to access smart devices with cameras and voice capabilities to carry out swatting attacks. Swatting refers to hoax calls made to emergency services, reporting an immediate threat to human life, to draw a response from law enforcement and SWAT teams to a specific location, which leads to health and human life-threatening consequences.
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