Updating smart devices necessary according to ethical hackers

It is well known to many people that cyber criminals can enter you through one smart device to steal photos and other data and lock your devices. Just like the fact that software updates help to keep (smart) devices safe. But what happens if your updates don’t happen automatically or you forget to update? To encourage people to update their smart devices, two ethical hackers commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) show in a video what can happen if you don’t update your smart devices. The ‘Hack Battle’ is part of the ‘Do your updates’ campaign that continues today.

Weak spots
In the Hack Battle, ethical hackers show what happens when an internet criminal digitally breaks into your home via a smart device. “Since smart devices are often connected to the Internet, cybercriminals can look them up. Without you realizing it, they look for weak spots and thus entrances,” says Wouter Wessels, one of the ethical hackers at Eurofins Cyber ​​Security who participated in the campaign. “If your smart refrigerator has not been updated and is connected to ‘the internet’, then that is a potential entrance to the rest of your network. Once inside, cyber criminals can continue to search your network and thus look for, for example, a laptop full of valuable data. Think of a copy of your passport, holiday photos and other important documents. This laptop can then be locked with, for example, ransomware until you have paid money, while the copy of your passport can be used for identity theft. That all sounds pretty scary, but it’s especially important that you are aware of the risks and take action to prevent your home from being broken into digitally. You do this, for example, by performing updates.”

Safe
By updating, in addition to new features (which are very visible), vulnerabilities are often solved. This way you keep your smart devices safe and you protect your network against internet criminals. That is why it is important to regularly check whether there are any updates for smart devices. Many smart devices do not update automatically. You also do not always receive a notification when an update is ready.

Update your devices? This is how you do it:
Step 1: Open your smart device’s app.
Step 2: Look at ‘Settings’.
Step 3: Click there on ‘Update’.
Step 4: Set up ‘Automatic update’.
Sometimes automatic updating is not possible. Then put a reminder in your calendar to check your updates every first day of the new quarter.
Do you get a notification to do an update? Do it right away. Don’t have an app from your smart device? Then go to the manufacturer’s website and search for ‘update’.

Prevent a hack, do the Update-Check
Need more help? Then go to doejeupdates.nl and do the Update-Check. It helps you to update your smart devices quickly and easily. First you make an overview of all the smart devices you have at home, for example in your living room, home office or at the front door. Then the Update-Check tells you step by step how you can update any smart device, such as your smart doorbell or thermostat.

About the ‘Do your updates’ campaign
The ‘Do your updates’ campaign is an initiative of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate with the aim of encouraging people to update their smart devices. The campaign can be seen through, among other things, online videos and advertisements. For more information about the campaign and tips for securing various smart devices, visit doejeupdates.nl.