Spanish engineer reports flaw in ‘smart’ vacuums after gaining control of 7,000 devices

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Eric BergerFebruary 24, 2026 at 09:40 PM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

A Spanish engineer, Sammy Azdoufal, discovered a security flaw in DJI Romo smart vacuums, gaining control of approximately 7,000 devices worldwide. While reverse-engineering his own vacuum, Azdoufal found he could access live camera feeds, collect messages, and determine the approximate location of other vacuums due to a vulnerability in DJI's servers. He reported the issue to The Verge, and DJI has since resolved the problem. This incident highlights a broader concern about security vulnerabilities in smart devices, where security is sometimes overlooked in favor of rapid innovation and cost-effectiveness. Experts warn that as the smart home market grows, these vulnerabilities create opportunities for hackers to compromise privacy and control various devices.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Spain 40% United Kingdom 50% DJI ×260% Alan Woodward 70% Sammy Azdoufal ×480%

Keywords

smart vacuums 90% security vulnerability 80% remote control 70% smart products 70% cybersecurity 60% hacking 50% privacy 50% internet protocol 40% software engineer 40%