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Woburn, MA – June 14, 2018 – Today, Kaspersky Lab is announcing the results of a new survey which found that nearly a quarter of pet owners (23%) use some type of digital device with their domestic pet. However, for 39 percent of respondents, the use of such technologies ended up posing a risk to the animal or its owner when the device malfunctioned.

To determine the impact of modern technologies on pet safety, Kaspersky Lab surveyed 7,740 household pet owners from 15 countries* around the world. The survey revealed that the penetration of digital devices in the daily life of pets is not limited to just trackers, as detailed in the company’s recent research report. Popular smart devices used by pet owners also include web cameras for watching pets, smartphones and tablets with games designed for pets, digital toys, automatic feeders/water dispensers and more.

Consequently, a malfunctioning or unsecured smart device can have devastating impacts for both an animal and the person who takes care of it, such as a faulty fish tank temperature controller or an unresponsive auto-feeder. According to the survey, half of the devices (53%) used for pets can access the internet, making them potentially vulnerable to a cyberattack. Furthermore, 14 percent of pet owners reported that at least one of the digital devices they use for their pets had been hacked. Other problems reported by respondents included that a device stopped functioning or worked incorrectly, resulting in a risk to the pet’s life (32%), its health (32%), its emotional well-being (23%), and even the emotional well-being of its owners (19%).

“With the help of technology, we can protect our pets, take care of them and provide them with comfort,” said David Emm, principal security researcher at Kaspersky Lab. “However, as is the case with any digital equipment, it’s important to remember the risks: any device can break down or be hacked by a cybercriminal. To avoid any unpleasant consequences, it’s important to implement simple security measures in advance, and have a backup plan in the event of device failure or infection. And, of course, you need to choose your digital device carefully, focusing on the most important thing – your pet’s safety.”

Kaspersky Lab experts suggest the following tips to ensure the digital security of your household pets:

  • If you have smart devices and appliances in your home, set safety rules for any pets who live there, like this Kaspersky Lab employee has done in his pet-friendly smart home. 
  • Research the security of connected devices before purchasing. It is likely that the device you are going to purchase has already been examined by security researchers, and information on discovered and patched vulnerabilities is usually available online.
  • Avoid products that are brand new to the market. It is best to buy products that have been on the market for some time and thus have already undergone several software updates to fix bugs and improve security.
  • Before you start using your device, change the default password and set a new, strong password.
  • Do not allow access to your device from outside of your local (home) network unless you specifically need it for the device to work properly.  
  • Disable all network services that do not need to use your device.
  • Regularly update your device’s firmware to the latest version (when such updates are available).

In light of the challenges of smart device cybersecurity, Kaspersky Lab offers a solution for smart homes and the internet of things called Kaspersky IoT Scanner. This free application for Android scans the home Wi-Fi network, informing the user about devices connected to it and their level of security.

For more details on Kaspersky Lab’s survey of pet owners regarding their usage of smart devices, visit our blog

*Only those pet owners who used at least one smartphone were surveyed. The survey took place online in May-June 2018. Countries included: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, OAE, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Turkey, USA.

About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab is a global cybersecurity company operating in the market for over 20 years. Kaspersky Lab’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into next generation security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky Lab technologies and we help 270,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.

Media Contact
Meghan Rimol
781.503.2671
meghan.rimol@kaspersky.com

Kaspersky Lab Survey Finds Digital Devices Posing Security and Safety Risks to Pets

Pet owners around the world facing issues with the smart technology used to monitor, feed, entertain and track pets
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