Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Oct 23, 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
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
×