Attackers used an army of hijacked security cameras and video recorders to launch several widespread internet attacks last week, prompting fresh concern about the vulnerability of millions of “smart” devices in homes and businesses connected to the internet. The assaults raised eyebrows among security experts both for their size and for the machines that made them happen.
The attackers used as many as one million Chinese-made security cameras, digital video recorders and other infected devices to generate webpage requests and data that knocked their targets offline, security experts said. It is unclear whether the attackers had access to video feeds from the devices. Those affected include French web hosting provider OVH and U.S. security researcher Brian Krebs, whose website was disabled temporarily. We need to address this as a clear and present threat not just to censorship but to critical infrastructure,” Mr. Krebs said.
