In several cities across the United States, owners of robotic vacuum cleaners have reported some shocking incidents: their devices have been hacked, causing them to shout out terrible words. This bizarre situation was highlighted in a recent report by ABC News.
One of the most alarming stories comes from a Minnesota lawyer named Daniel Swenson. He was relaxing at home, watching TV, when suddenly, his Ecovacs Deebot X2 vacuum cleaner began to act strangely. At first, it sounded like it was picking up a broken radio signal. Then, he heard snippets of a voice coming from the robot.
Initially, Swenson thought it was just a glitch, so he rebooted the vacuum cleaner. However, shortly after, the device started moving on its own again. This time, it wasn’t just making random noises; it was shouting racist slurs repeatedly, including phrases that were incredibly offensive. Swenson suspected that a kid or teenager was behind the hacking, possibly jumping from one device to another just for fun.
This wasn’t an isolated case. ABC News reported that other people have experienced similar strange behavior from their robotic vacuums in recent months. In May, a Deebot X2 in Los Angeles began chasing its owner’s dog around the house while cursing loudly. Another vacuum in El Paso, Texas, started spewing racial slurs until the owner quickly unplugged it.
Security experts had previously warned Ecovacs, the company that makes these robotic vacuums, about serious flaws in the devices and their controlling app. They pointed out that the robots’ Bluetooth connections and the four-digit PINs protecting their video feeds and remote controls could easily be bypassed by hackers. The PIN security system was not strong enough because it was only checked by the app, not by the robot or the server.
Ecovacs has confirmed Swenson’s story and stated that it appears an unauthorized person accessed his account and password. However, they insist that their systems were not hacked. To address these issues, the company plans to release a security update for the X2 series of robot vacuums in November.
As these incidents continue to emerge, it raises concerns about the safety and security of smart home devices. The question now is: Are your robotic vacuums safe, or could they become the next targets for hackers? Stay vigilant and make sure your devices are secure!
