Tech Lead Journal

Your Home Is Launching Cyber Attacks (And You Don't Know It)

Jan 26, 2026
Joseph Yap, founder of Otonata and cybersecurity expert protecting home networks. He reveals how routers, smart TVs and NAS units get hijacked into massive botnets and rented as residential proxies. He explains why Singapore and similar hubs become attack sources. He outlines how AI and disclosed firmware flaws lower the bar for attackers and offers practical steps to audit and harden your home network.
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INSIGHT

Why Singapore Is A Major Attack Source

  • Singapore appears as a top source of DDoS traffic because widespread high-speed connectivity and many internet-connected devices increase launch points for attacks.
  • Dense urban Wi‑Fi environments and a culture of many cheap IoT devices expand the attack surface and make residential networks attractive to attackers.
INSIGHT

Botnets Are Massive And Distributed

  • Botnets now count hundreds of thousands of compromised devices and can reach terabits-per-second scale in DDoS attacks.
  • Large-volume attacks arise from many small, vulnerable home devices rather than only sophisticated servers.
ADVICE

Inspect Router Inventory And Firmware

  • Check your router's device list and identify unfamiliar devices sending traffic on your network.
  • Update router firmware where possible and replace routers that no longer receive security patches.
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