In another sign of the growing threat posed by compromised smart devices, the update late last week claimed that attackers are using them as proxies to maintain anonymity and obfuscate network traffic.
Doing so enables them to engage in click fraud, trade illegal goods, send spam emails, and mask their internet browsing. IoT devices can also be conscripted into botnets which can be rented out, sold or used directly for credential stuffing and other attacks, the alert claimed.
The FBI warned of several warning signs that users’ smart devices may have been taken over: a major spike in monthly internet usage, high ISP bills, slow or inoperable devices, unusual outgoing DNS queries and traffic and slow internet connections.