A remotely controlled robot dog with a weapon isn’t sci-fi anymore. But if that dog comes from #China, has hidden software allowing unauthorized remote access, and is being sold online to anyone… maybe it’s time to seriously worry.
We’re talking about the #Unitree Go1, a four-legged robot that looks harmless at first glance. It’s small, agile, and looks like it belongs in a viral TikTok video. But some #cybersecurity experts took it apart and found something disturbing: a real backdoor—an entry point that lets someone else, from the outside, take control. No password. No permission. Just be on the same Wi-Fi network. And in some cases, even from anywhere in the world.
Here’s the point: once these things start showing up on the streets, the risk isn’t just getting hacked. The risk is that someone controlling them remotely doesn’t just delete data like with regular ransomware—but turns them into real weapons. Dangerous devices. Tools that can target people, specific locations, or even critical infrastructure. No pilot. No trace of who’s behind it. A robot that moves, thinks, acts… and can be reprogrammed to do harm.
And we’re not talking about the future—this is all already possible. #Robot security should be the first priority, not the last. Before distribution, before marketing, before sales. Because once a machine starts walking on its own, it’s too late for regrets.
Meanwhile, there are videos on #YouTube showing these robot dogs modified to shoot rifles. Some laugh it off. Some use them in military training. And some bring them home, unaware they might already be controlled by someone else.
#Unitree, the Chinese company behind the robot, hasn’t responded to warnings. No security updates, no public statements. And while we’re busy wondering what jobs we’ll have in ten years, someone might already be using these machines to spy, sabotage, or worse—with no fingerprints left behind.
Security can’t be treated like just another tech feature. When technology walks, watches, listens… and maybe even fires, #cybersecurity becomes an ethical issue. And a political one.
