Bitdefender & NETGEAR: Rising Home Cybersecurity Threats
▼ Summary
– The average household now contains 22 connected devices and faces nearly 29 cyberattacks daily, a sharp increase from 10 attacks in 2024.
– Streaming devices (25.9%), smart TVs (21.3%), and IP cameras (8.6%) are the most frequently targeted IoT devices, representing over half of detected vulnerabilities.
– Nearly all (99.4%) IoT exploits target known and fixed Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, highlighting the critical need for timely patching.
– Mobile phones account for 19.6% of connected endpoints, making them the most prevalent devices in home IoT ecosystems.
– The report emphasizes that IoT security must be built into network-level protection, starting with routers, to counter automated large-scale attacks.
Modern homes are experiencing an unprecedented surge in cybersecurity threats targeting connected devices, according to new collaborative research from Bitdefender and NETGEAR. Their 2025 IoT Security Landscape Report reveals that households now face nearly triple the number of daily attacks compared to last year, highlighting the critical need for robust network-level security solutions.
The expanding Internet of Things ecosystem has fundamentally transformed residential spaces into complex digital environments where every connected device represents a potential vulnerability. From smart entertainment systems to security cameras and routers, this proliferation of technology has dramatically increased consumer exposure to automated cyberattacks and large-scale exploitation efforts.
Based on telemetry gathered from millions of smart homes across multiple continents, the research demonstrates that the typical household now contains approximately 22 connected devices while enduring nearly 29 separate attacks every single day. This represents a staggering increase from the 10 daily attacks recorded in 2024, illustrating how cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging automation, insecure firmware, and outdated devices to compromise digital households systematically.
Ciprian Istrate, Bitdefender’s senior vice president of Operations, emphasized that “the explosion of connected devices has transformed homes into complex digital ecosystems, but it’s also made every lightbulb, camera, and router a potential target.” He stressed that IoT security can no longer be considered optional, noting that comprehensive protection must begin at the network level, inside routers and gateways, and even at the ISP edge to counter increasingly automated and industrial-scale attacks.
The comprehensive study analyzed data from more than 6.1 million smart homes across North America, Europe, and Australia. Between January and October 2025, researchers examined 13.6 billion IoT attacks alongside 4.6 billion vulnerability exploitation attempts to create a detailed snapshot of global IoT risk. The report also documents several significant security incidents from 2025, including a record-breaking DDoS attack reaching 22.2 Terabytes per second powered by compromised routers, the BadBox botnet that infected over a million Android-based devices before they even left the factory, and the discovery that solar inverters could potentially be hijacked to disrupt national power infrastructure.
Key findings from the landmark report reveal several critical patterns in home cybersecurity:
The average household now contains 22 connected devices and faces approximately 29 attacks daily, a dramatic increase from just 10 attacks per day in 2024. This explosive growth demonstrates how expanded connectivity and persistent device vulnerabilities have created abundant opportunities for cybercriminals to exploit residential networks.
Entertainment devices emerge as the most vulnerable category, with streaming devices (25.9%), smart TVs (21.3%), and IP cameras (8.6%) representing the most frequently targeted equipment. Together, these everyday devices account for over half of all detected IoT vulnerabilities, often because they remain unpatched or rarely receive security updates, making them convenient entry points for attackers.
An overwhelming 99.4% of IoT exploits target already identified and resolved Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, reinforcing that timely patching and proactive device management continue to rank among the most effective defensive strategies against compromise.
Mobile phones dominate the home IoT landscape, accounting for 19.6% of connected endpoints, followed by smart TVs (9.5%) and streaming devices (7.3%). This distribution confirms that smartphones have evolved into the central hub within the modern connected home environment.
Basic attack methods remain surprisingly effective, with overflow and Denial-of-Service attacks constituting the majority of IoT exploit outcomes. Meanwhile, privilege escalation and code execution attacks enable cybercriminals to seize complete control of targeted devices.
Jonathan Oakes, NETGEAR’s senior vice president and general manager of Home Networking, observed that “connectivity is no longer just about speed and coverage, but also about trust.” He emphasized that “the router sits at the heart of every digital home, offering protection at the point where it matters most – the network itself. Security can’t be an afterthought; it must be built in from the start.”
Both companies continue addressing these challenges through NETGEAR Armor powered by Bitdefender, an integrated security platform available on Nighthawk routers and Orbi Mesh Wi-Fi systems. This solution helps detect and block both known and emerging threats, identifies vulnerabilities, and protects users against phishing, data theft, and various other attacks – ultimately helping families maintain safer and more resilient smart home environments.
The complete 2025 IoT Security Landscape Report is available for download through Bitdefender and NETGEAR’s official channels.
(Source: ITWire Australia)
