Voice assistants hear things we don’t

[harlan4096]

Our interaction with technology could soon be predominantly voice-based. To ask for something out loud and hear the answer is literally child’s play: Just take a look at how effortlessly kids use voice assistants.

But new technology always means new threats, and voice control is no exception. Cybersecurity researchers are tirelessly probing devices so that manufacturers can prevent potential threats from becoming real. Today, we’re going to discuss a couple of finds that, although of little practical application right now, should be on today’s security radar.

Smart devices listen and obey

More than a billion voice-activated devices are now used worldwide, says a voicebot.ai report. Most are smartphones, but other speech-recognition devices are fast gaining popularity. One in five American households, for example, has a smart speaker that responds to verbal commands.

Voice commands can be used to control music playback, order goods online, control vehicle GPS, check the news and weather, set alarms, and so on. Manufacturers are riding the trend and adding voice-control support to a variety of devices. Amazon, for example, recently released a microwave that links to an Echo smart speaker. On hearing the words “Heat up coffee,” the microwave calculates the time required and starts whirring. True, you still have to make the long trek to the kitchen to put the mug inside, so you could easily push a couple of buttons while you’re at it, but why quibble with progress?

Smart home systems also offer voice-controlled room lighting and air conditioning, as well as front-door locking. As you can see, voice assistants are already pretty skilled, and you probably wouldn’t want outsiders to be able to harness these abilities, especially for malicious purposes.

Full reading: https://www.kaspersky.com/blog/ultrasoun...cks/25549/