Today, the internet of things is a growing market. Consumers now want to buy Wi-Fi-enabled devices, from smart appliances to lightbulbs and Smart TVs. It is convenient, but these appliances put people at risk. Hackers do not just focus on PCs only. This is because they target new platforms to obtain more valuable information. But still, as you stream various shows online, use The Pirate Bay and other legitimate sites to be safe. Thus, below are some surprising things that hackers are targeting right now you did not know.
- Pacemakers
Did you know a hacker can shut down a pacemaker? If they cannot change the settings, they can change the program. Not only pacemakers can hackers change. But any medical device that is wireless or is Bluetooth enabled is at risk. Once they can access your pacemaker, it can result in patient harm from the administration of inappropriate pacing or rapid battery depletion. Thus, once in a while, visit your medical practitioner to update the pacemaker firmware.
- Traffic lights
Sitting in traffic is annoying for a lot of people. You may miss the green light or get a red light that lasts forever. But what if someone else controls the traffic lights? There are cases where traffic engineers, as part of their protests, hacked the traffic lights forcing cars to slow to a stop at specific intersections. Thus, a gridlock ensued after cars stalled at a red light after a long time. So, traffic lights can be hacked and mean chaos on the road.
- Your fridge
Do you have a talking smart fridge? If yes, you need to protect it from possible hacking. Why would someone hack a fridge? It may seem absurd, but in the world of the internet of things becoming more common, privacy and security concerns is not a laughing matter. Researchers have found hackers can get your credentials stolen over Wi-Fi from your fridge. So you need to ensure your smart appliances are safe from hackers. To do this, ensure your router is WPA2 encryption enabled. But, stay vigilant as appliances and other items become Smarter and technology keeps growing to keep tabs on security measures.
- Gaming devices
Hackers can con gamers out for their private information. Once they hack you, they get your email addresses, IP addresses, and passwords that they can use in many ways from other accounts. Thus, the best way to protect yourself is to create unique passcodes and change them after some time. If not, the data the hackers acquire will not be safe as they use it on the dark web to commit future cybercrimes. As a result of this hack, stay alert on any phishing scams that can appear in your email.
- Fish tanks
Unfortunately, your facility can be hacked through the fish tank if you have one. The hackers can breach the data within the facility. They use a sensor connected to your computer. This is what regulates the food, climate, and cleanliness of your fish tank. So, the hackers get in the fish tank and use the access to get around other areas of the network and send data out. Fish may not escape, but a lot of data will disappear.
- Light bulb
Imagine a hacker who puts off your lights through your light bulbs? What more can they do on a larger scale? It may seem strange to have a virus on your light bulb. Once they gain control of the light bulbs, they can shut the lights on or off. It may seem like a fun activity, but it is a bigger deal than that, and such an occurrence can mean they can cause a blackout in the entire or launch attacks on other parts online using the virus.
To sum up, the above are surprising ways you can get hacked. As the internet grows, expect to have more things hackers can use, making this a security issue everywhere. Therefore, it is vital to know how to protect yourself from hackers. More so, if you use Wi-Fi-enabled devices and other items to control a lot around your home, office, or any other facility.
Hello, My name is Shari & I am a writer for the ‘Outlook AppIns’ blog. I’m a CSIT graduate & I’ve been working in the IT industry for 3 years.