A sonic cyberattack could hijack a device's speakers

Weapons that injure crowds of people by emitting dangerous sounds may seem like the stuff of science fiction. Unfortunately, malicious hackers might be able to do just that — but with Bluetooth- or WiFi-capable smartphones, headphones, speakers, or laptops.

Researcher Matt Wixey is unveiling research at the Def Con hacking conference that shows the potential for devices with speakers to be hacked and turned into sonic weapons, as reported by the BBC. 

Wixey found that by creating a virus and exploiting "known weaknesses," many devices have little protection to ensure the integrity of their speakers. Once hacked, devices could be made to play "dangerous" sounds, such as sounds at high or low frequencies that could deafen, disorient, or injure. Read more...