‘Smart’ light bulbs may be used to hack personal info: Study

Infrared-enabled ‘smart’ light bulbs may be used by hackers to either steal data or spoof other connected devices on the home Wi-Fi network, according to Indian-origin scientists in the US. The researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted a review of the security holes that exist in popular smart-light brands.
Smart lighting technology involves high efficiency fixtures and automated controls that make adjustments based on conditions such as occupancy or daylight availability.
“Your smart bulb could come equipped with infrared capabilities, and most users don’t know that the invisible wave spectrum can be controlled,” said Murtuza Jadliwala, a professor at UTSA.
“You can misuse those lights. Any data can be stolen: texts or images. Anything that is stored in a computer,” said Jadliwala.