When you think of ransomware, you might think of computers. However, as it turns out, ransomware can actually affect not just computers, but our digital cameras as well. This is according to a recent report from Check Point Research who discovered a potential flaw in some DSLR cameras.
According to the researchers, “Our research shows how an attacker in close proximity (WiFi), or an attacker who already hijacked our PC (USB), can also propagate to and infect our beloved cameras with malware. Imagine how would you respond if attackers inject ransomware into both your computer and the camera, causing them to hold all of your pictures hostage unless you pay ransom.”
You can actually see the hack for yourself in the video above where the researchers demonstrate it on a camera. For those unfamiliar, ransomware is where hackers encrypt the files on your computer (or camera in this case) and will withhold the decryption key until you pay a ransom, hence the name.
In the past, we have seen how some ransomware attacks have crippled entire hospital systems, forcing administrators to pay the ransom. Canon has since responded to the report by offering up some advice on how to prevent this from happening to you, even though the company notes that there are no confirmed cases of these vulnerabilities being exploited in real-life.