Malware on electronic devices is a common evil these days, as cybercriminals abound who seek to infect our devices for various purposes (none of which are legal). Faced with this danger and knowing that there is practically no device that can be saved, you may wonder what about Apple’s HomePods. Can these speakers have viruses? How should you protect them? We will tell you.
So far no cases have been detected
While we cannot fully state that there has never been a single case of HomePod malware infections, the truth is that none have transpired so far. This can mean that the security of the device is very good, but it can also be caused by a lack of real interest on the part of cybercriminals.
Be that as it may, no device is safe. There is a classic quote in this area that says that the safest equipment is one that is several meters underground, completely turned off and without any type of connection enabled. Therefore, although the HomePods do not seem likely to cause problems, we must not lower our guard either.
How to keep it safe
If someone were to gain access to a HomePod illegally, not only could they agree to operate it at will, which is serious in itself, but they could be able to enable listening and use the device to spy on the user. Logically this is something that no one would like, so it is always advisable to keep in mind the basic protection rules with which to avoid it.
The first, obvious as it may seem, is have your HomePod updated. This will ensure that the device has the latest security patches released by Apple, although it is important that the iPhone, iPad and Mac with which you use them are also updated.
Another aspect that sounds obvious, but it is worth remembering, is that of do not install rogue profiles. An Apple beta profile for the HomePod may be safe, but not so many others that can be found out there and that sometimes promise functionalities that are not later. In the same way that prevent jailbreak on iPhone is another way to avoid it, since despite the benefits of this on the iOS device, it can end up making both it and the speaker vulnerable.
In any case and trying to give a conclusion to this aspect: you can rest easy. A HomePod can be a victim of malware like any other, but the chances are very low and even more so if you carry out recommendations for good use like those discussed here.
