Voice assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant have become our digital companions, ready to play music, check the weather, or even manage our calendars. But in 2025, these devices are increasingly drawing the attention of cybercriminals — and the risks go far beyond accidental recordings. Researchers at Zhejiang University in China famously demonstrated the “DolphinAttack,” where inaudible ultrasonic commands could silently instruct a voice assistant to unlock doors, send messages, or even make unauthorized purchases.

More recently, in March 2025, a team of cybersecurity experts in Germany revealed that attackers could hijack Wi-Fi-enabled voice assistants using malicious radio frequency interference, forcing them to execute commands without the user’s knowledge. Even more concerning is how voice assistants connect with other smart devices: once compromised, an attacker could turn off home security systems, control smart locks, or access sensitive personal data stored in calendars and shopping lists. Criminals are also exploiting integrations with financial apps, with documented cases of fraudulent money transfers being triggered by manipulated voice commands.

Privacy is another major issue. Leaked reports from late 2024 showed that some smart speaker recordings were stored and reviewed by contractors, raising concerns that intercepted audio could be weaponized by hackers. The fixes aren’t always straightforward, but there are ways to reduce risk. Users should disable unnecessary integrations, set strong voice recognition profiles, and mute microphones when devices aren’t actively in use. Manufacturers are starting to roll out countermeasures too, including AI-based anomaly detection that flags unusual commands and hardware updates to block ultrasonic signals. Still, the golden rule remains: convenience comes at a cost.

The same device that plays your favorite playlist can also unlock your front door if hijacked. As voice assistants become more deeply woven into our daily lives, they also become high-value targets. Cybercriminals don’t need to break into your house anymore — sometimes, they just need to talk their way in.