SAN ANTONIO -- When it comes to stealing your personal information, cyber thieves and hackers are relentless. They'll try almost anything. That's why researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio are trying to spread a warning about potential new attempts before they start. The project all revolves around smart bulbs.
- Popular smart bulbs could create security risk
- Smart light typically doesn't have firewall capabilities
- Expert recommends using bulb in conjunction with smart home hub
A favorite tune or movie, a blinking light - and a lot of information. Anindya Maiti co-authored a study exposing possible security gaps. It was a project two years in the making.
"We found out the smart lights can be used to interpret information," he said.
Smart bulbs can come with infrared capabilities, and most people have no idea the invisible wave spectrum can be controlled. Here's how they tested it:
"Based on how much the intensity of the light is, the sensor captures that and translates it to digital information, and this laptop here is able to record that information," Maiti said.
Maiti says the technology isn't very expensive at all and the team measured up to 160 feet away from someone's window and it could be even farther if you used a better telescope.
"When the attack is being carried out, users wouldn't even notice the bulbs were flickering," he said.
Consumers are spending billions of dollars each year on these bulbs, but a lot of times they're missing something important.
"The smart light doesn't have any firewall capabilities and it is not usually monitored," Maiti said.
So if you do want a smart light in your home, along with keeping your blinds closed, Maiti suggests you opt for bulbs that come with a smart home hub instead of those that connect directly to other devices.