Security News > 2020 > December > FBI: Home Surveillance Devices Hacked to Record Swatting Attacks
A warning issued this week by the FBI warns owners of smart home devices with voice and video capabilities that these types of systems have been targeted by individuals who launch so-called "Swatting" attacks.
"Smart home device manufacturers recently notified law enforcement that offenders have been using stolen e-mail passwords to access smart devices with cameras and voice capabilities and carry out swatting attacks," the FBI said.
The agency has been working with the manufacturers of the targeted devices to warn customers about the threat and provide them with recommendations on how to avoid having their devices hacked.
The FBI has advised users to enable two-factor authentication for internet-accessible devices.
Given that the attackers rely on stolen email credentials to hijack surveillance devices, the FBI advises against using a secondary email account for the second factor, and instead recommends the use of a mobile device number.