Cybersecurity Protection of Humanoid Robots
Wanyi Fu & Tanishq Barot
Raise Public Awareness
Strengthen Engineer Accountability
Build Legal Framework
OUR VISION
Robots are automatically operated machines that replace human effort—whether or not they look or act like people. Today’s digital revolution is weaving robots ever more deeply into our lives, where they serve, assist, and empower us.
Humanoid robots in particular—which generally have a torso, head, two arms and two legs—are already finding roles in defense, education, hospitality and beyond.
But as robots become ubiquitous, the stakes of their security rise. Cyber-threats such as malware, data breaches or outright system hijacking can disrupt operations, leak sensitive data or even inflict physical harm. High-profile incidents—from the 2016 Mirai-powered DDoS attacks on Dyn to multi-million-dollar extortion of manufacturing robots, and even an engineer injured by a rogue machine in 2021—underline just how vulnerable robotic systems can be.
Cybersecurity for robots encompasses the tools, practices, and policies that safeguard networks, devices, and data, ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Research shows that even novices can exploit specific robot vulnerabilities, though there is no one-size-fits-all attack: successful breaches hinge on tailored strategies. Moving forward, deepening our understanding of these vulnerabilities and embedding resilient security measures at every level will be critical to keeping both people and machines safe.
