Hackers are able to command Siri, Alexa in a frequency too high for you to hear

iPhone.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Researchers have discovered that it is possible to "speak" to voice assistants like Siri and Alexa in a frequency too high for the human ear to hear, Fast Company reports. This so-called "DolphinAttack" could potentially allow hackers to send commands to iPhones or Amazon Echos, asking the devices to call certain numbers or load dangerous websites. "[E]very iPhone and Macbook running Siri, any Galaxy phone, any PC running Windows 10, and even Amazon's Alexa assistant" are vulnerable to the high-frequency attack, Fast Company writes.

The problem stems from the fact that voice assistant microphones are able to "hear" sounds above 20KhZ, which adult human ears can't pick up. Electronic companies might enable devices to hear that high in the first place because "analyzing software might need every bit of 'hint' in your voice to create its understanding," said NewDealDesign founder Gadi Amit.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.