The Internet of Things (IoT) has seamlessly woven itself into our homes and workplaces. From smart thermostats and security cameras to digital picture frames and coffee makers, these devices make life convenient – but they also open hidden backdoors for cyber threats. Many businesses and consumers underestimate IoT cybersecurity risks, yet recent incidents show that even the most unassuming gadget can become a threat actor’s gateway. In fact, one in three data breaches now involves an IoT device . This article shines light on little-known (or little-considered) IoT vulnerabilities through real-world examples, and offers steps to protect your network.
Real-World IoT Attacks in Everyday Devices
IoT vulnerabilities are not just theoretical – they’re being exploited in the real world across all industries. Below are eye-opening examples of seemingly innocent devices turned against their owners. Each case underscores that any IoT device, in any environment (home, office, or industrial), can be compromised if not properly secured.
The Digital Picture Frame with a Secret Backdoor
During routine monitoring of one of our clients’ networks, our team detected unusual outbound activity from a previously benign device that had been connected to the office for over a year: a digital photo frame. Seemingly out of nowhere, it began initiating thousands of outbound calls to servers based in China—an unmistakable indicator of command-and-control behavior. Because we had previously recommended and implemented a micro-segmented network, this device was isolated on a dedicated IoT VLAN, preventing it from accessing any sensitive data or core systems.
Thanks to our active threat detection protocols, we were able to immediately identify and neutralize the threat before any harm was done. No client intervention or third-party alert was needed—our staff caught it in real time, analyzed the logs, and worked with the client to disconnect the rogue device. The most disturbing part? No one in the office had considered a digital photo frame a security risk.
This is not an isolated incident. The FBI has recently warned of the “BADBOX 2.0” operation—an effort to pre-infect millions of consumer electronics including digital photo frames, Android TV boxes, and other IoT devices, many of which are manufactured overseas. These devices may come with malware pre-installed or become infected after installation of unofficial apps. The now-infamous Mocmex Trojan from 2008 was an early example, found embedded in digital photo frames from Shenzhen that silently harvested data while evading antivirus software.
The lesson? Even decorative electronics, when plugged into your network, can be turned against you. Without proactive monitoring and segmentation, this photo frame could have quietly exfiltrated sensitive IP to a foreign entity without detection.
The Fish Tank That Hacked a Casino
One of the more bizarre IoT hacks occurred at a North American casino – via an internet-connected fish tank. The casino had a high-tech aquarium with a smart thermostat to monitor water conditions. Cybercriminals managed to exploit a vulnerability in that fish tank thermometer to get a foothold in the casino’s network . Once inside, they accessed the casino’s high-roller database of wealthy clients and then pulled the data out through the thermostat, up to the cloud . The security team (Darktrace) caught the anomalous data transfers in time, but the incident highlights how an innocuous IoT device – a thermometer in a lobby fish tank – nearly led to a major data breach. As one cybersecurity CEO put it, “there’s a lot of IoT… It expands the attack surface and most of this isn’t covered by traditional defenses.” In other words, any single unsecured IoT device can let attackers swim into your network’s depths.
An innocuous-looking aquarium like this became the entry point for hackers into a casino’s network via a smart thermometer . IoT devices in unusual places can open serious backdoors if not secured.
The Refrigerator That Sent 750,000 Spam Emails
IoT threats aren’t limited to corporate networks – home appliances have joined the fray too. In an analysis of a cyberattack campaign over the holidays, security researchers discovered that over 25% of the malicious spam emails (around 750,000 messages) were sent by hacked IoT devices rather than typical PCs . Among the culprits were compromised home routers and multimedia centers, but also an unlikely offender: a smart refrigerator. Yes, a fridge was found to be part of a “thingbot” – an IoT botnet – spewing out phishing emails . This 2014 incident was one of the first proofs that everyday appliances can be co- opted by hackers. If a refrigerator or TV can be hijacked to send spam, it’s not hard to imagine them being used for other attacks like spying or spreading malware. The owners of these devices usually had no idea anything was wrong; the fridge kept chilling groceries as usual, all while the malware quietly worked in the background. This Internet of Things attack shows how non-traditional devices can be weaponized on a large scale, unbeknownst to their users.
When Baby Monitors Become Snooping Devices
Smart baby monitors and security cameras are supposed to give us peace of mind – but weak security can turn them into spy tools. There have been multiple disturbing reports of hackers gaining access to internet-connected cameras in homes. In one case from Texas, parents woke at 3 AM to hear a stranger’s voice coming from their Wi-Fi baby monitor. The unknown man’s voice was speaking through the camera, shouting “get up, I’m going to kidnap your baby…” – an absolutely chilling experience. Thankfully, no kidnapper was actually in the house; an attacker had remotely accessed the Nest camera and was harassing the family. The incident turned out to be caused by a reused password that had been leaked elsewhere , but it underscores a broader issue: many consumer IoT devices lack robust authentication and encryption. In other breaches, hackers have taken over baby monitors to speak to children or spy on
households, often by exploiting default login credentials or other vulnerabilities. These violations of privacy show that IoT devices can affect not just data security, but personal safety. Whether it’s a nanny cam or a video doorbell, if it’s online and unsecured, someone might be watching who shouldn’t be.
The Mirai Botnet: When Cameras and DVRs Attack the Internet
Perhaps the most infamous IoT security incident was the Mirai botnet in 2016. Mirai was a piece of malware that quietly took over hundreds of thousands of IoT devices globally – predominantly things like IP security cameras, network DVRs, and home routers. By scanning for devices with default or weak passwords, Mirai enslaved these gadgets into a massive botnet “army” of attack machines . The attackers then used this army of compromised IoT devices to launch one of the biggest Distributed Denial- of-Service (DDoS) attacks ever recorded, flooding major internet services with traffic. In October 2016, Mirai famously took down dozens of popular websites (Twitter, Spotify, Netflix, etc.) for hours in the U.S. and Europe . This was a wake-up call: everyday “smart” gadgets were weaponized to disrupt the internet itself. More recently, similar IoT botnets continue to emerge. For example, in 2025 the FBI warned about BadBox 2.0 (mentioned earlier) which had infected over a million devices in the U.S., turning streaming TV boxes and digital frames into proxies for cybercrime. These botnets thrive because so many connected devices are poorly secured. It only takes a few simple malware strains to recruit millions of unsecured IoT devices into a botnet – with severe consequences for internet infrastructure. Mirai and its successors demonstrate that IoT vulnerabilities are not a niche issue; they are now a mainstream cybersecurity threat.
Why Are IoT Devices So Easily Compromised?
It may seem baffling that a thermostat or DVR could become a hacker’s tool. Several factors make IoT devices especially vulnerable:
- Minimal Security by Design: IoT manufacturers have historically prioritized cost, performance, and user-friendliness over security. Many smart gadgets ship with flimsy protections. As one security expert noted, vendors focus on features but “ignore security measures and encryption,” leading to devices that are routinely hacked . Basic security practices (secure coding, strong encryption, etc.) are often lacking in IoT product development.
- Default & Weak Passwords: A huge number of IoT devices come with default login credentials (e.g. “admin/admin”) – and many users never change them. Attackers know this. In fact, one in five IoT devices still uses default passwords, making them ridiculously easy to compromise . Mirai-like malware simply cycles through common default creds to hijack gadgets en masse. Even when unique passwords exist, users might reuse simple passwords across devices, leaving them vulnerable to credential-stuffing attacks (as seen in the baby monitor incident).
- Lack of Updates/Patches: Traditional computers and phones get regular security updates – but who updates their smart lightbulbs or TV firmware regularly? Unpatched firmware is responsible for an estimated 60% of IoT security breaches . Many IoT devices run outdated software with known vulnerabilities, either because the manufacturer never issued a patch or the user never applied Some cheap devices don’t even have an update mechanism. This leaves known holes wide open for attackers over the device’s lifespan.
- Hidden Malware and Supply Chain Risks: As seen with the digital photo frame case, it’s possible for devices to come pre-loaded with malware or malicious backdoors from the factory . Unscrupulous suppliers (or malicious insiders) might tamper with devices before they reach the consumer. Additionally, downloading third-party “apps” or firmware from unofficial sources (as often encouraged by off-brand Android TV boxes) can introduce malware. IoT devices typically lack anti- malware defenses, so any malicious code buried in the system can run undetected.
- Sheer Number of Devices = Large Attack Surface: Businesses may have dozens or hundreds of IoT devices connected (sensors, printers, smart TVs, appliances, personal gadgets, etc.), and IT teams often cannot fully monitor or secure each one . Each device is a potential entry point. If even one is compromised, it can serve as a beachhead to attack the rest of the network. IoT devices also tend to be “always on” and rarely monitored, giving attackers persistence. The result is that IoT greatly expands the attack surface, and a single weak link can be enough for a breach.
In summary, IoT devices are easy targets because they blend into the background of our networks, quietly running outdated software with weak credentials and little oversight. As the Darktrace casino hack demonstrated, “a lot of IoT… expands the attack surface and most of it isn’t covered by traditional defenses.” Unless manufacturers and users get serious about securing IoT, these gadgets will continue to be low- hanging fruit for attackers.
How to Protect Your Network from IoT Threats
The good news is you can enjoy the benefits of IoT devices and significantly reduce the risks. A proactive, layered security approach will keep these “smart” devices from becoming your Achilles’ heel. Here are some best practices to defend against IoT vulnerabilities:
- Segregate and Monitor IoT Devices: Never trust IoT devices on your main network. Isolate smart devices on their own network segment (VLAN) or a guest network, separate from sensitive business systems. This way, even if an IoT gadget is compromised, the attacker can’t easily move laterally into critical systems . Network segmentation contains threats and ensures an attack on one device won’t spread to others . Also, keep an eye on your network traffic – unusual spikes or strange outbound connections (e.g. a thermostat connecting to foreign servers) can tip you off to a breached device.
- Change Default Credentials and Use Strong Passwords: Upon setup, change any default usernames/passwords on the device. Use unique, complex passwords for each IoT device (a password manager can help generate and track these). This simple step closes one of the biggest doors hackers exploit. As Nest’s example showed, never reuse passwords that have been leaked elsewhere . Wherever possible, enable multi-factor authentication on device accounts for an extra layer of protection.
- Keep Firmware Updated: Treat an IoT device like a mini-computer – its software can have vulnerabilities that need patching. Regularly update your IoT devices’ firmware to the latest versions. Check the manufacturer’s app or website periodically for updates, or enable auto-updates if available . Remember that 60% of IoT-related breaches stem from outdated firmware , so timely patching dramatically lowers risk. Equally important: keep your router and firewall firmware up to date , since they are your first line of defense for all connected devices.
- Buy Reputable Brands and Beware of “Too Good to Be True” Gadgets: The IoT market is flooded with cheap, no-name devices (often from overseas) that may skimp on security or even come pre- infected. It’s worth investing in devices from reputable manufacturers with a track record of security support. The FBI warns against extremely inexpensive, off-brand streaming boxes or similar gadgets – they often hide nasty surprises. Avoid devices that prompt you to disable security features or install apps from unofficial sources. When in doubt, do some research online about the device’s security before buying.
- Use Firewalls and Limit Connectivity: Place IoT devices behind a firewall and strictly limit their internet access to only what’s necessary . For instance, a smart fridge probably doesn’t need to communicate with foreign IP addresses. Use your router’s settings to block unnecessary outbound connections or set up rules (many modern routers have an “IoT mode” or guest network feature for this). Disable unused features like remote access if you don’t need By limiting how IoT devices can communicate, you reduce what an attacker could do if they hijack one.
- Only Connect What You Need: Every additional device is an additional risk. Conduct an inventory – do you really need every “smart” function enabled? If an IoT device isn’t actively in use, consider disconnecting it. For critical operations, prefer wired connections over wireless when possible (to avoid Wi-Fi exploits). In an enterprise, it’s wise to have an IoT usage policy: employees shouldn’t just plug in personal smart gadgets on the office network without approval. Fewer devices means fewer targets for attackers to hit.
By following these steps, businesses and individuals in the United States (and anywhere) can dramatically improve their security posture against IoT-based threats. The key is to be proactive and not assume any device is “too insignificant” to be compromised. A digital picture frame, a fish tank sensor, or a fridge might not seem like obvious risks – until they’re the weak link that lets attackers in.
Conclusion
IoT devices have unquestionably improved efficiency and comfort across all industries, but they come with a hidden cost in security exposure. From aquarium thermometers stealing casino data to photo frames and fridges enlisted in botnets, the stories above illustrate that any internet-connected device can be a target. Attackers will always look for the path of least resistance, and unfortunately IoT gadgets often provide exactly that due to their lax security.
The situation is starting to change as awareness grows – companies are learning to isolate and protect IoT endpoints, and governments are pushing for IoT security standards (like banning default passwords). However, a large gap remains between the rapid adoption of smart devices and the slower adoption of security practices. It falls on us – IT professionals, consumers, and business owners alike – to close that gap.
The next time you plug in a “smart” appliance or gadget, take a moment to secure it. Change the defaults, update it, fence it off on your network. Treat it with the same caution you would a laptop or server, because it can pose a similar risk. IoT technology is amazing and undoubtedly here to stay; with proper safeguards in place, we can enjoy its benefits without unwittingly inviting cyber intruders into our homes and offices. In cybersecurity, the devil is in the (tiny) devices – so don’t overlook them.
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