Could Your Holiday Gift Be a Security Threat?

A hidden threat may be lurking under your Christmas tree this year. From fitness bands to digital photo frames, some seemingly innocuous presents may harbor flaws that can be exploited by hackers.

“Most likely, a hacker isn’t very interested in how long you’ve run or [in controlling] any appliances in your home,” says Ebba Blitz, president of security and encryption firm Alertsec.  “However, anything that’s connected to the Internet could open up a potential backdoor to your laptop.”

Fortunately, there is no need to pitch all your new holiday goodies. Instead, Blitz and other security experts say consumers can protect themselves by taking a few simple precautions.

Manufacturers Skimping on Security Measures

Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist for Intel, says the problem lies largely with manufacturers who rush to get products on the shelves. “Most manufacturers are foregoing even the most basic of security controls,” he says. For the full article click here 

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