Most shocking weak links hackers target other than mobiles, PCs

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It is needless to say that vigilant browsing habits are essential when you step into the cyber world, but certainly that is not enough. Does having a robust and comprehensive antivirus software installed in your PC gives you a notion of being fully secure? If yes, then you are mistaken. Here’s a list of the most shocking weak links that hackers may target other than mobiles and PCs:

Child Trackers

With these wearable devices, tacking your child has become a simple task. Smart parenting with the help of child trackers has become too common in today’s world. This boon of modern GPS technology however has its own downside. The vulnerability of these devices became known when one of the GPS trackers by a reputed company came with an API bug that allowed anyone with the customer id to join the “trusted member” group.

Weapons

Connect a computer to a sniper rifle and it can turn even amateur into sharpshooters. But on contrary, connect the computer aided gun to a wireless network and if ill-fated, you may find that it makes a decision of its own. In 2015, a group of researchers hacked the weapon’s network link, remotely disabled the computer and caused it to miss the target.

Satellites

Few years back, a report claimed that hackers, supposed to be operating from China had managed to interfere with two US government satellites. They gained full control of the Landsat-7 and Terra AM-1 satellites for more than 12 minutes. Now how are we to rely on satellites for everything from communications to weather monitoring?

HVAC Systems

Today, many of the companies use Internet-connected heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems without taking proper security measures, thus giving hackers a potential gateway to in-house systems. Most of the companies are unaware of the network these HVAC systems are connected to. All they look upon is the temperature and air quality. According to a report by Qualys, a security solutions provider, more than 55,000 HVAC systems lack adequate security.

ATC Hacking

An entirely different kind of hijacking is taking place these days with hackers gaining control of Air Traffic Control (ATC) Systems and giving bogus orders to pilots. Thousands of lives could be at risk if nothing is being done to stop these hackers from attacking aircraft and air traffic control systems. Though hijackings have decreased significantly as compared to the past, there is a growing number of ATC hackings taking place on a regular basis.

Traffic Lights and Cars

With just a Laptop, security researchers at University of Michigan hacked around 40 wirelessly networked traffic lights and controlled the state of the lights. Surprisingly, they could hack all these systems using the default password itself. So, if you thought traffic signal hacking existed only in movies and video games you are probably wrong. It is possible in real life too and with much ease.

Source:Techgig