The top hackable gift category included laptops and PCs, followed by smartphones and tablets, media players and streaming sticks, smart home automation and devices, and finally, drones.

To accompany the list, Intel Security conducted a survey to identify the risky behaviours consumers are engaging in during the holiday season and educate them on how to protect themselves.

Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist at Intel Security, said that connected devices remain high on holiday wish lists this year.

“What is alarming is that consumers remain unaware of what behaviors pose a security risk when it comes to new devices. Consumers are often eager to use their new gadget as soon as they get it and forgo ensuring that their device is properly secured,” he said.

Cybercriminals could use this lack of attention as an inroad to gather personal consumer data, exposing consumers to malware or identity theft or even use unsecured devices to launch DDoS attacks."

The majority of consumers are aware of the vulnerabilities in older connected devices like laptops (76 percent), mobile phones (70 percent) and tablets (69 percent), they lack awareness about the potential risks associated with emerging connected devices, such as drones (20 percent), children's toys (15 percent), virtual reality tech (15 percent) and pet gifts (11 percent).

Davis said that as technology continues to evolve, it is essential people understand the risks associated with even the most unassuming devices. While 81 percent of consumers believe it's very important to secure their online identities and connected devices, nearly half are uncertain if they are taking the proper security steps.