Your Fridge is at Risk.. Hackers Enter Your Home via Smart Devices!

A cyberattack that disabled cooling systems in hundreds of large retail stores in France has highlighted the risks of connecting devices to the internet, as threats have spread from computers and smartphones to refrigerators, surveillance cameras, locks, heating systems, and alarm systems.

According to a report, any device that can be controlled via the internet, apps, or cloud services may serve as an entry point for hackers, whether to disrupt its operation, steal data, or move to other devices on the same network.

With the growing proliferation of smart products, attacks are no longer aimed solely at information; they can also cause direct operational losses.

Researchers demonstrated in 2015 that a Samsung smart refrigerator could be hacked and its communication data intercepted, while cybersecurity sector data indicate that internet routers account for more than three-quarters of attacks on connected devices, surpassing other home devices.

Compromising cameras could allow intruders to watch what is happening inside homes or spy through microphones, while refrigerator and freezer temperatures could be altered, devices could be shut down, or owners could be locked out of their accounts, thereby raising the risk of disrupting business activities and services.

Although electricity and water networks have more complex protection systems, they are not entirely immune.

Experts recommend changing default passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, updating software, replacing devices whose security updates have ceased, isolating devices within home networks, and avoiding connecting unnecessary devices to the internet.