The Internet of Things opens up a realm of possibilities to make everyday tasks easier. They can memorize our schedules and know when to turn the heat on or off. They warn us about intruders. They can even save lives. But what if the tables were turned, and a cybercriminal was able to access and manipulate this information? All these connected devices could mean big security risks if left unsecured. Here are 4 possible devices that could be (and have been) hacked, and the frightening scenarios that could accompany them.
Connected Cars
We’ve spoken about the cybsersecurity risks associated with connected cars before, but we’re continuing to see an increased amount of concerns circling around these vehicles as features within cars continue to advance. With all the technology used in a car, it’s becoming a more likely situation where someone could use the GPS to track your location, unlock your car and steal it, or completely take it over. We would know...because we hacked the autonomous car!
Nanny Cams or Baby Monitors
Knowing your child is safe in their room can bring a parent comfort. However, knowing that someone else could be watching that same video or listening in to audio is a frightening realization that could be achieved if someone hacked into the device. Just ask one mother who sat there and watched the camera move on its own!
Smart Appliances
Earlier this year, one of our very own employees had their smart refrigerator hacked. While he put an end to it quickly, it reminds us that issues like this could be real potential threats. Smart TV’s, refrigerators, and even washers and dryers are likely connected to your email account...and guess what? A vulnerability could expose that information and everything else in your account!
Medical Devices
This one could literally be a life or death situation. Healthcare organizations have historically been targets due to the valuable information they hold and lack of security often in place. The FDA even put together new guidelines earlier this year specifically for medical device security. Medical devices such as insulin pumps, defibrillators, and surgical robots are all vulnerable to cyberattacks. By hacking into one of these devices, someone could potentially inject the incorrect dosage of insulin, deliver random shocks to a patient's heart, or completely botch up a surgery. Hackers are also targeting healthcare organizations with ransomware, demanding money in order to gain back access to important medical records and systems.
Today, most hackers aren’t looking to cause a serious problem, like causing a car accident by driving someone off the road, but are looking for a way to extract data found on these devices for things like identify theft, spam, money (ransomware), and even advertising. For example, your smartphone likely has phone numbers and email addresses someone could use to send fake phone calls or emails to. And your GPS knows where you’ve been, making it easier for certain organizations to target you with ads (I know you've seen those ads in Waze...). While it's a great convenience for many of us, there's a definitely security trade off organization's haven't fully embraced yet. How long before organizations realize how big of a concern this is, and start better integrating security into their devices?
