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posted by martyb on Tuesday February 19 2019, @01:59PM   Printer-friendly
from the build-a-[fire]-wall! dept.

Sex robots could be hijacked by hackers and used to cause harm or even kill people, a cybersecurity expert has warned.

Artificial intelligence researchers have consistently warned of the security risks posed by internet-connected robots, with hundreds recently calling on governments to ban weaponized robots.

The latest warning comes from a cybersecurity expert who made the prophecy to several U.K. newspapers.

“Hackers can hack into a robot or a robotic device and have full control of the connections, arms, legs and other attached tools like in some cases knives or welding devices,” Nicholas Patterson, a cybersecurity lecturer at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, told the Star.

“Often these robots can be upwards of 200 pounds and very strong. Once a robot is hacked, the hacker has full control and can issue instructions to the robot. The last thing you want is for a hacker to have control over one of these robots. Once hacked they could absolutely be used to perform physical actions for an advantageous scenario or to cause damage.”

https://www.newsweek.com/hacked-sex-robots-could-murder-people-767386

[Yes, the story is "clickbait-y", but the underlying point still remains that remote access to IoT (Internet of Things) devices could wreak havoc. Do any Soylentils have IoT devices and what, if anything, have you done to provide protection from undesired monitoring or tampering? --Ed.]


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  • (Score: 5, Touché) by deimios on Tuesday February 19 2019, @02:46PM (5 children)

    by deimios (201) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday February 19 2019, @02:46PM (#803469) Journal

    I still have a better chance of getting away with my assets intact than after a marriage...

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +4  
       Funny=2, Touché=2, Total=4
    Extra 'Touché' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   5  
  • (Score: 3, Funny) by Thexalon on Tuesday February 19 2019, @03:10PM (1 child)

    by Thexalon (636) on Tuesday February 19 2019, @03:10PM (#803479)

    I didn't know John Bobbitt was on SN!

    --
    The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
    • (Score: 2) by RS3 on Tuesday February 19 2019, @03:52PM

      by RS3 (6367) on Tuesday February 19 2019, @03:52PM (#803505)

      Wasn't he married to Lorena Bobbedit?

  • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday February 19 2019, @03:26PM (2 children)

    by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday February 19 2019, @03:26PM (#803487) Journal

    No need to date a robot when so many robotic or dysfunctional humans are available.

    --
    Don't put a mindless tool of corporations in the white house; vote ChatGPT for 2024!
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 19 2019, @06:14PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 19 2019, @06:14PM (#803581)

      No need to date a robot when so many robotic or dysfunctional humans are available.

      You just triggered me, you insensitive clod!

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 20 2019, @02:09PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 20 2019, @02:09PM (#803971)

      Yeah, but incels are all red-pill males and they refuse to see the solution to their problem (not including getting a personality, of course).