However, smart glasses are attempting to rebrand and achieve the resurgence they deserve following the debacle that was Google Glass. Wearable tech has been a trend, but smart glasses are a more recent development – one that has had a few years to refine itself according to customer needs. Do people really want to record videos with their sunglasses to upload directly to Facebook, or do they desire a different smart experience entirely? Perhaps all they want is security.

Acknowledging the Roots of the Data Problem

All smart technology undergoes a process of integrating the product with advanced cybersecurity practices. Most smart glasses incorporate augmented reality (AR), GPS, and microphones, among other features. Managing all these aspects can be quite challenging. Adopting a hands-free, Google-right-before-your-eyes lifestyle comes with some safety concerns. However, it is essential to understand a few societal influences that set the smart glasses market up for potential security failure.

The world has become increasingly preoccupied with data privacy, as legislation emerges to regulate and protect citizens. These standards are still in their infancy, which is crucial to consider in the broader cybersecurity conversation surrounding smart glasses. Another factor to keep in mind is that traditional glasses manufacturers have likely never had to address security issues before.

Currently, tech companies are focused on pioneering these wearables, not catering to traditional eyewear markets. However, this focus will eventually shift, and non-technical sectors will need to become more tech-literate. The question remains: is this a healthy marriage, or do smart glasses and cybersecurity require some couples’ therapy?

Just like smart watches began collecting questionable health data, smart glasses gather lots of personal and corporate data points, like:

• Biometrics
• Status of other connected tech, like machines or phones
• Video and audio of surroundings
• Location
• Data in connected software
• Employee metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs)
• Inventory stores

Where does all that information go? Is it stored properly and ethically protected?

Addressing the Cybersecurity Elephant in the Room

Smart glasses are certainly collecting data, which raises concerns about invasion of privacy. Another potential issue arises from how companies use this information. Are they selling data to third parties for research purposes or merely out of greed? Manufacturers must be transparent about minimizing data collection, ensuring that they only gather what is necessary and protect it from external sources.

Customers remain skeptical that this will become the standard practice, particularly when they encounter unsettling targeted advertisements based on recent data activity they were not even aware of being significant. This gives them an eerie sense of déjà vu.

How are smart glasses manufacturers using features to address these security concerns so they don’t go in the red? The cost of security breaches rose 17% in 2021, so smart glasses have to tout their built-in features, such as:

• End-to-end encryption
• Additional authentication
• Virtual private networks (VPNs)
• Software update reminders
• Data collection toggling, such as turning off location
• Access to privacy policies and update notifications

This all sounds technical. However, these foundational security perks will keep customers safe until it evolves.

How Cybercriminals See Through Your Eyes

Smart glasses are susceptible to cyberattacks due to their vulnerabilities. The most significant concern that companies should defend against is transmission interceptions. This depends on the versatility and customizability of privacy features. Cybercriminals could potentially record data from private management meetings containing company secrets or even your own birthday party with friends. Consent is crucial, and smart glasses may be a tough sell when that’s not an option.

Surveillance threat actors don’t even need to spend money or time obtaining or installing the technology. It’s akin to joining a Twitch chat to view a public livestream that nobody invited a hacker to. Most smart glasses users don’t consider how this technology also puts everything in their line of sight at risk. Targeted cybersecurity attacks, such as the notorious spear phishing, could occur via a blissfully unaware spy who happens to be your co-worker – and they’re not even in on it. These recordings can reveal countless clues for criminals to steal identities, commit fraud, and jeopardize livelihoods.

Who wants to feel like they’re being watched while having an after-work beer at a local bar just because smart glasses exist? These glasses could collect information on how much you spent on that drink, how long you spent drinking it, and even the color of the beer. This level of intrusion is quite invasive. However, every technology has gone through or is currently undergoing constant development to combat novel security risks. Should this consideration dismiss the potential value that smart glasses could bring? Perhaps not.

Securing Smart Glasses for a Smarter Future

Addressing security concerns for smart glasses will be a gradual process of improvement. While the responsibility lies with the manufacturers, there is also an implicit obligation for consumers to be aware of their data rights. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU, and the American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the U.S., serve as excellent starting points.

You can request data deletion or additional protection. Until companies are mandated to provide all this information directly to customers, it is worthwhile to conduct some research to determine how to keep your smart glasses data more secure.

The post Is Smart Glasses Technology Really Safe? appeared first on Hongkiat.

Removable media like USB sticks are responsible for 9% of all security incidents, the second-most of any attack vector. That number goes up to 20% when you don’t include incidents involving cloud services. That’s a lot of attacks, so how can you ensure your USB isn’t compromised? Start with these five steps.

1. Avoid using unknown USB drives

The best way to avoid infected USB devices is not to use any you don’t recognize. If someone gives you a flash drive or you find one in the wild, assume it’s unsafe and don’t plug it into your computer.

Handing out infected flash drives or leaving them for curious passers-by is a common social engineering technique that takes advantage of human weaknesses like curiosity. It plays a role in 90% of security breaches because it’s so effective. People are naturally curious, and if a shiny new USB sits on the ground, they’ll want to know what’s on it.

Avoid caving to that temptation if you want to stay safe. There’s no way to tell where that drive came from or what it was plugged into before, so the risks outweigh any interesting things you might find.

2. Run Linux from a safe USB drive

You may not have an old or backup computer lying around. If that’s the case, you can protect your files from a potentially compromised USB by running Linux off a different flash drive. Opening the suspicious USB in Linux will provide a barrier between any malware and your normal operating system.

Linux is free to download and can run off a flash drive. Find a distribution, often called a distro, with a large support community like Ubuntu, then download it to a USB you know is safe. Follow the installation guide to run this new OS from your flash drive.

3. Use an old (or unimportant) computer

Your personal USB drives can get infected, too, so you need to know how to check them for malware. If you’re suspicious and want to know more, find an old computer or one you don’t use for anything important. Use this to check the drive instead of your main computer.

Malware won’t be a big issue if your USB is infected but you plug it into a computer with no personal information or sensitive files. However, you must be sure there’s nothing a hacker would find valuable on your device.

Erase any important files or personal information and disconnect the computer from the Internet before plugging anything in.

4. Plug it in, scan it

Once you’ve followed these other steps, it’s time to check your USB. Run Linux if you’re going that route, disconnect your computer from the Internet and open your antivirus software. Then, plug the USB drive in.

Use your anti-malware software to scan the drive. That process will look different depending on what software you use, but there should be clear instructions from the program’s main menu. If your antivirus doesn’t find anything, your USB is probably safe and you can use it normally.

5. Disable Autorun and use an Anti-malware app

Another step to take before plugging the suspicious USB in is disabling Autorun. As the name implies, this feature automatically runs external media like flash drives, which is how malware often infects your computer from a USB. You’ll want to disable it to safely check your drive for viruses.

You’ll also need to install anti-malware software if you don’t have any already. Even if you do, check for updates to ensure you can scan for the latest threats. It’s a good idea to update all your other software while you’re at it to be as safe as possible.

What to do with a compromised USB drive?

If your antivirus software finds an issue, you’ll have to remove it from your drive. The program will likely let you automatically delete infected files, which is the safest way forward. Once you’ve taken care of the suspicious files, restart your computer and follow these steps again to ensure you’ve removed the malware.

If you want to be as safe as possible, it’s best not to use that USB drive again, even after removing the infected malware. Keeping backups of all important files in the cloud will let you discard these devices without worrying about losing the stuff you want.

It’s also a good idea to keep your online credentials on check to catch if anything slipped through the cracks. You can check the Have I Been Pwned website to see if someone got hold of your credentials and watch your bank account and social media channels for suspicious activity.

You should also use a password manager, change all your passwords and run frequent virus scans on your computer.

The post 5 Ways to Avoid an Infected USB Drive appeared first on Hongkiat.