Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Sep 04, 2025

More than 83 million smart devices, including baby monitors, at risk from hackers

More than 83 million smart devices, including baby monitors, at risk from hackers

Hackers could listen to and watch live audio and video feeds from smart cameras and baby monitors, due to a vulnerability being disclosed by Mandiant and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
A critical vulnerability affecting more than 83 million smart devices, including smart cameras and baby monitors, could allow hackers to listen to and watch live audio and video feeds, it has emerged.

The flaw "poses a huge risk" to people's security and privacy said security company Mandiant, which is coordinating its disclosure with the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

While default passwords have prompted UK security services to warn consumers about criminal activity, the flaw discovered by Mandiant also affects devices which do not use default passwords.

According to Mandiant, the problem is in an IoT (Internet of Things) software protocol called Kalay, developed by Taiwanese company ThroughTek, which offers a platform to control smart devices from.

Before the coordinated disclosure was made, ThroughTek warned users to update their software to stop hackers accessing "sensitive information in transmission and on victim devices".

A similar vulnerability was discovered in the Kalay protocol by Nozomi Networks earlier this year, although Mandiant says its discovery is more severe, allowing attackers to remotely control affected devices as well as snoop on them.

Because the Kalay protocol is installed by both original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and resellers before smart devices reach consumers, Mandiant said it couldn't determine a complete list of products affected.

However, the business - which is part of cyber security company FireEye - noted ThroughTek's website "reports more than 83 million active devices on the Kalay platform at the time of writing".

Back in 2014, the UK's data watchdog warned Britons that private webcam feeds were being streamed on a Russian website, using default logins and passwords to access the devices.

The British government plans to introduce a new law which will force OEMs and resellers of smart devices to meet minimum security requirements in the UK.

The government announced the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill during the Queen's Speech earlier this year, although this is not yet law.

Announcing the law earlier this year, digital infrastructure minister Matt Warman said: "We are changing the law to ensure shoppers know how long products are supported with vital security updates before they buy and are making devices harder to break into by banning easily guessable default passwords.

"The reforms, backed by tech associations around the world, will torpedo the efforts of online criminals and boost our mission to build back safer from the pandemic."

A spokesperson for the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said: "We are aware of this vulnerability and ThroughTek has released an update to fix the issue.

"Simply using the platform does not automatically make you vulnerable to real-world impact, as additional information that is hard to guess is needed to exploit the vulnerability in an individual device successfully.

"To maximise protection, the NCSC recommends individuals keep their software up to date by installing the latest vendor updates as soon as practicable."
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
×