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Fujitsu comments on IoT teddy bear leaks of voice recordings/data
February 2017 by Experts
See below for comment by Rob Norris, VP Head of Enterprise & Cyber Security EMEIA at Fujitsu on the story that a maker of Internet-connected stuffed animal toys has exposed more than 2 million voice recordings of children and parents, as well as e-mail addresses and password data for more than 800,000 accounts.
Rob Norris, VP Head of Enterprise & Cyber Security EMEIA at Fujitsu comments:
“The fact that hackers have exposed over 2 million voice recordings of parents and children, as well as 800,000 email addresses and passwords, is a huge misstep. In an era where data is becoming the new currency, all personal data, be it used for a toy or bank accounts, needs to be properly protected. Cyber criminals are entrepreneurial, well-sourced and motivated. This once again demonstrates how capable hackers are at targeting areas where people may not be thinking too seriously about how their data is being protected and thereby allowing hackers to get what they want. It also highlights how organisations need to be wary of attacks, as damage could be far greater than they may realise. Consumers too must ensure they use different passwords for different applications and are aware of the security risks, as hackers may be able hack into other accounts using the same information. As the number of these threats continue to increase exponentially, no businesses nor consumer can afford for cyber-security not to be their number one priority.”
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“With breaches happening like this on a daily basis, it’s vital that both consumers and organisations take a proactive approach when it comes to security. Organisations need to think about what data they need to protect and focus on the integration of threat intelligence and other information sources, to provide the context necessary to deal with today’s advanced cyber threats. There must be a clear and well-rehearsed crisis management plan for a breach, addressing internal and external communication. As well as this, consumers need to ensure they use different passwords for different applications and are aware of the security risks when using payment information. Consumers should consider two factor authentication alternatives where possible, so passwords are rendered useless on their own such as facial, voice, iris, palm and fingerprint biometrics for an additional layer of protection.”
