Can Hackers Breach Your Refrigerator?

Arabia.net – Hackers exploited a failure that disabled cooling systems in hundreds of French hypermarkets, taking advantage of the growing connectivity of equipment that was previously largely mechanical.

From refrigerators and heating systems to surveillance cameras and alarm networks, a growing array of devices can now be monitored and controlled remotely, creating new opportunities for cybercriminals, according to Reuters.

In 2015, researchers at a hacking conference in Las Vegas demonstrated how a Samsung smart refrigerator could be hacked, allowing them to intercept some of the data traffic passing through the device over the internet.

The most common targets are internet-connected devices that can be controlled remotely.

Smart devices such as refrigerators, ovens, and washing machines can also be vulnerable to hacking if they are connected to the internet more broadly. Even some toothbrushes are now connected to the internet.

According to security sector data, routers—not household appliances—account for more than three-quarters of all attacks on connected devices.

The number of these devices has risen rapidly as manufacturers add internet connectivity to products that were previously entirely mechanical.

What can a hacker actually do?

A camera can show what is inside a home, a device equipped with a microphone can capture sounds, and a compromised router can reveal everything passing through the network.

Hackers who control a device can turn it on or off, change its settings, or prevent users from accessing their accounts. A hack targeting a thermostat could disrupt heating, while compromising a freezer or refrigerator could disrupt temperature control.

In more serious cases, attackers may use poorly protected devices to access other systems on the same network or to steal personal information linked to online accounts.

In 2015, researchers remotely took control of a moving Jeep through its internet-connected entertainment system, leading to the recall of approximately 1.4 million vehicles and the provision of updated software.

Nearly a decade later, researchers disclosed a flaw that allowed them to track, unlock, and start certain Kia vehicles using only the vehicle’s license plate number. The researchers said they reported the vulnerabilities to Kia, which addressed them within months, and there was no evidence of exploitation in actual attacks.

Critical infrastructure, such as electricity and water networks, generally features multiple layers of protection, monitoring, and regulation that are not available in consumer devices.

This does not mean they are immune to cyberattacks, but they are usually much harder targets than a home device connected to a home Wi-Fi network.

Consumers should also discontinue use of or replace devices that no longer receive security updates, keep most devices on an internal network, and avoid broadly connecting products to the internet unless there is a clear reason to do so.

Often, the simplest rule is the most effective: the fewer connected devices you have, the fewer potential entry points for attackers.