Russian MPs Address Smart Speaker Hacking Concerns, Urge Cyber Hygiene

© Антон Горелкин

Anton Gorelkin, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma IT Committee and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Russian Center for Information Technology (ROCIT), criticized statements calling for a rejection of smart speakers and other household devices due to hacking risks.

According to Gorelkin, the discussion began with a comment from an antivirus company expert who merely suggested a theoretical possibility of hacking such devices. However, the topic later escalated, first with warnings from cyber police and then with calls to abandon "smart" technology, including speakers and robot vacuum cleaners.

Gorelkin emphasized that important details were overlooked during the discussion. Specifically, it only referred to a theoretical threat, while companies manufacturing smart speakers claim there have been no recorded cases of hacking. He believes it is much easier for cybercriminals to obtain personal data through deception than by hacking household devices.

Furthermore, the lawmaker noted that even if some users are skeptical of such technologies, completely abandoning them is unlikely to be an effective protective measure. He stressed that a more rational approach would be to increase digital literacy and follow basic cybersecurity rules.

"Perhaps some people have long wanted to move to the forest and were just looking for an excuse, but enhancing protection against surveillance and fraud is better done by learning the basics of cyber hygiene. It would be great if people were reminded more often about safe digital behavior instead of bizarre calls to return to mops and CD players," Gorelkin concluded.