Hackers made robot vacuum cleaners swear in swear words

Hackers hacked robotic vacuum cleaners model Deebot X2s company Ecovacs, and then made them drive and repeat foul language.

“My robot sounded like a broken radio or something. You could hear scraps of voice,” reported Minnesota attorney Daniel Swenson, whose robot vacuum cleaner was hacked. The victim noticed on the device’s mobile app that someone unknown requested access to the camera and remote control. The robot then began to move and repeated racial slurs against African-Americans were heard from its speakers.

Similar incidents have occurred in various US cities, with victims worried about their safety and privacy.

Ecovacs confirmed that its robotic vacuum cleaners had been hacked. It said the firm is paying increased attention to cybersecurity issues. Ecovacs advised users to strengthen their Wi-Fi passwords and to closely monitor notifications of suspicious activity.