Is your smart tech a hidden danger?

DW (English)

The US are considering a ban of Chinese self-driving car technology — why? Here’s what's happening, and what you need to know about smart devices in general.

Transcript

00:00Are your smart devices safe? Smart tech is under serious scrutiny. Why? Well, in the

00:06so-called pager attacks, the Israeli Secret Service remotely exploded communication devices

00:13used by Lebanese Hezbollah members. Dozens were dead and thousands injured. Now, US President

00:19Joe Biden is reining in another potentially dangerous smart technology – connected and

00:24self-driving cars. Find out what's happening and what risks are posed by smart tech in

00:30our homes. Are smart cars dangerous? Chinese software and hardware in smart cars should

00:36be forbidden on American roads. That's what the US Commerce Department proposed on Monday.

00:42This would effectively block Chinese cars and trucks from the US market. It would also

00:48force automakers from other countries to remove Chinese tech from vehicles sold in the United

00:53States. The US administration says the move is about national security. They fear China

01:00could use smart cars to spy on the US. Smart cars can indeed gather a lot of sensitive

01:06data and cause harm. Here are the three main risks.

01:10Gathering user data. If a car system has a voice assistant, hackers or those controlling

01:15the software could eavesdrop on conversation. They could also access onboard cameras. Beyond

01:22that, tracking the car's routes and stops via GPS would create a detailed picture of

01:27the driver's daily life. Combined, this data could reveal intimate details about the

01:32person behind the wheel, putting their safety at risk.

01:36Gathering information on locations and infrastructure. Using the car's external cameras and sensors,

01:43someone with remote control could gather detailed data about the areas the car travels through

01:48or where it parks. This could provide valuable insights into critical infrastructure like

01:53power plants or military bases.

01:55Manipulation of navigation systems. Many newer smart cars can be controlled remotely. This

02:02means they could potentially be steered against the driver's will. So smart cars could potentially

02:08be used to harm people inside or around them by intentionally causing an accident.

02:13To sum it up, smart cars have a lot of potential for misuse. Criminals could figure out the

02:18best time to break into your house. Companies could sell sensitive data to third parties.

02:24And the US fears that China could use smart cars to spy on us.

02:29But smart cars aren't the only concern. And it isn't the first time Chinese tech has come

02:34under scrutiny. Have you ever wondered, how safe is my smartphone? You're not alone.

02:40In 2022, the US government banned devices from Chinese smartphone makers Huawei and

02:45ZTE, citing national security risks. Whether that move was justified or not, there's no

02:52denying it, smartphones are perfect for spying. It's not just phone calls or chats. Full access

02:58to your phone can reveal a lot more, like your bank account or health data. What criminals

03:03cannot do is turn your smartphone into a deadly weapon. After the Peja bombings, there was

03:09a lot of online debate about whether smartphones could be remotely exploded the same way. But

03:15the Pejas in Lebanon were physically manipulated. They were rigged with explosives. If a criminal

03:21hijacked a phone, they might in some cases be able to overheat the battery. That could

03:26cause the phone to catch fire or even explode. But it's extremely unlikely this could be

03:32used to cause serious harm to someone. Now let's talk about the smart devices in

03:37our homes. The uncomfortable truth? Smart TVs, fridges, vacuum robots, basically any

03:44device that is connected to the internet can be hacked. If your device features a sensor,

03:49a camera, a microphone or a laser to measure space, they can be used to spy on you if someone

03:55hijacks them. Security researchers have recently even found weaknesses in smart lawnmowers.

04:02So if you are using smart devices, stick to manufacturers you trust and always keep

04:08their software updated. This helps close off security loopholes criminals could exploit.

04:14The same is true for smartphones, by the way. Use strong passwords and consider extra security

04:19like two-factor authentication. And please don't click on links from unknown sources.

04:24You're putting yourself at risk of getting your device infected with malware.

04:28That's it from me. Stay alert online. Bye.

04:32Transcribed by https://otter.ai

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