Developments in technology have brought about the era of the ‘Internet of Things’(IoT), instead of manually changing your heating – now you can go into an app from miles away and change it from your phone! The Internet of Things has revolutionised the way businesses and individuals perform tasks in their daily lives, but have the dangers of this new age technology really been considered?
Just like your servers or desktops, the Internet of Things can also lead to targeted cyber-attacks such as Ransomware – notoriously within Smart TV’s, where a large increase in Ransomware attacks were reported over the last year from downloading infected apps and running them on the Smart TV software.
What’s the worst that could happen?
So, you can’t watch your TV for a couple of days – not the end of the world, right?
Cyber-Crime on Smart TV’s is the tip of the ice burg in comparison to the malicious attacks that could, and have, taken place within IoT.
Security Cameras – Although they make it look challenging in films, it’s surprisingly easy to hack into someone’s security system if its connected through the internet. Once the hacker has penetrated the system undetected, they’ll have no trouble finding out when you’re not home.
Pacemakers – Following a controlled experiment that took place at the University of South Alabama, it was confirmed that a pacemaker device could be hacked and controlled through its internet connection, making it possible to change the rate of the wearers heat beat.
Self-Driving Cars – Although currently not an issue that would commonly arise, as the development of self-driving vehicles continues, so do the threats surrounding them. Should the internet-connected system of the vehicle be hacked, the hacker could hijack the brakes and steeling wheel remotely.
Don’t Panic!
As terrifying as these possibilities are; like with any internet based device, steps can be taken to prevent cyber-attacks. Whether it be secure passwords, which you can learn more about in Complete I.T.’s blog, or through a multi-layered approach to your system security – you can protect yourself against these new cyber threats. Our helpful staff can also help, contact Birmingham, Bristol, London, Manchester, Oxford, Peterborough, Swindon or Thames Valley today!