It expands the attack surface and most of this isn't covered by traditional defences.'ĭevices like this thermostat tend to be basic in their design. Reported by Business Insider, Eagan also said: 'There's a lot of internet of things devices, everything from thermostats, refrigeration systems, HVAC systems, to people who bring their Alexa devices into the offices. They then found the high-roller database and then pulled that back across the network, out the thermostat, and up to the cloud.' Speaking at the WSJ CEO Council in London last week, Nicole Eagan, chief executive of cybersecurity company Darktrace, said: 'The attackers used to get a foothold in the network.

But its internet connection - the very connection casino staff probably considered useful when installing the device - left the establishment's servers exposed. The offending piece of supposedly smart tech was used to regulate the water temperature of an aquarium installed in the lobby.

Is our smart home growing more vulnerable to attacks?.

In yet another example of how businesses are failing to protect themselves against hacking through seemingly innocent internet of things (IoT) devices, it has been revealed how an unnamed casino had its database of high-rollers stolen through an internet-connected thermostat. But according to the boss of a leading cybersecurity company, it really happened. Hacking a casino high-roller database through the thermostat in a fish tank sounds like the plot of an Ocean's Eleven reboot.

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