Robo vacuum cleaners go racist following hack assault
Date
10/13/2024 6:56:32 AM
(MENAFN) Recent reports from several cities in the United States have revealed alarming instances of robotic vacuum cleaners being hacked, leading to disturbing behavior such as shouting obscenities and racial slurs. A notable case involves a Minnesota lawyer, Daniel Swenson, whose Ecovacs Deebot X2 began to malfunction while he was watching television. Initially, the vacuum emitted what sounded like a garbled radio signal, with brief snippets of voice. Upon discovering that a stranger had accessed the device’s remote control feature, Swenson assumed it was a technical glitch and attempted to reboot the appliance.
However, the situation escalated when the vacuum resumed operation and began repeating racist obscenities, including the phrase “f* n***s.” Swenson speculated that the person behind the hack might have been a teenager, suggesting that the hacker was likely jumping between devices to disrupt households.
ABC News reported that this incident is not isolated. Numerous similar hacking occurrences have been reported across the country in recent months. In May, for example, a hacked Deebot X2 in Los Angeles was reported to have chased its owner's dog around the home, apparently under remote control, while swearing audibly through its speakers. Additionally, an Ecovacs robot in El Paso, Texas, was noted for spewing racial slurs until the owner decided to unplug it.
These unsettling incidents raise serious concerns about the security of smart home devices, particularly as they become more integrated into daily life. Owners of such appliances are now urged to take precautions to protect their devices from potential hacks, as the implications of these incidents extend beyond mere inconvenience, touching on issues of privacy and safety in an increasingly connected world.
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