Security News > 2021 > September > IoT device attacks double in the first half of 2021, and remote work may shoulder some of the blame
The smart home could be ripe for IoT device attacks as cybercriminals rake in record ransomware payments.
Remote work may be responsible for the increase in attacks, Kaspersky says.
According to Kaspersky data shared with TechRepublic, attacks on IoT devices have doubled in the last year.
"Since IoT devices, from smartwatches to smart home accessories, have become an essential part of our everyday lives, cybercriminals have skillfully switched their attention to this area. We see that once users' interest in smart devices rose, attacks also intensified," said Dan Demeter, a security expert at Kaspersky via email.
In an effort to track and potentially prevent cyber attacks against connected smart devices, Kaspersky researchers set up honeypots, which the company described as "Traps" of sorts for online attackers "Targeting such devices." In the first half of 2021, these honeypots detected over 1.5 billion cyberattacks focused on IoT devices, according to Kaspersky; more than double the total recorded in the first half of 2020.
What's behind the surge in IoT device attacks? The short answer: The switch to remote work may have presented new entryways for opportunistic cybercriminals.