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Your internet connected cameras and DVRs could attack you

Security researchers say millions of internet-connected devices have come under someone's control, though they haven't done anything yet.

Ian Sherr Contributor and Former Editor at Large / News
Ian Sherr (he/him/his) grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, so he's always had a connection to the tech world. As an editor at large at CNET, he wrote about Apple, Microsoft, VR, video games and internet troubles. Aside from writing, he tinkers with tech at home, is a longtime fencer -- the kind with swords -- and began woodworking during the pandemic.
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Our devices are being turned against us.

 James Martin/CNET

Last year, attackers used a massive group of hacked devices to help bring down some of the most high-profile sites on the web, including Twitter, Spotify and Netflix. Now, an even bigger threat has been found.

This new hacked group of devices, known as a botnet, was discovered by researchers at cybersecurity firm Netlab 360, who call it "Reaper." Some of the key differences from last year's botnet, known as "Mirai," is that Reaper is infecting computers faster than its predecessor and it appears on track to be one of the biggest of its kind, according to ZDNet.

The good news so far is Reaper hasn't been used to attack anything. But security researchers say the way it's infecting devices, including almost two million internet-connected cameras and DVR's, is also alarming.

Read the rest on ZDNet.