How The Internet of Things can go very wrong

The Internet—one of history’s greatest inventions—is also one of history’s greatest platforms for crime. Here are ways things can go very wrong with the Internet of Things.

Med-hacking. Researchers have hacked many medical devices. Though it apparently hasn’t happened in the real world, yet, but it looks like it’s only a matter of time before medical equipment becomes hacked, such as automatic insulin pumps and pacemakers. The FDA is quite new to looking into this potential.

Sauna house. It’s possible for a hacker, if not currently, then in the near future, to get into your connected thermostat and kick it up to 120 degrees. Yes, it’s great to control the thermostat when you’re away from home…but someone else who has too much time on his hands might think that’s great, too!

Smartphones. Maybe one day it will be smarter to go back to the dumb phone. At least a dumb phone can’t be used by a hacker to turn things upside down for you, such as getting ahold of your financial account numbers or sensitive photos.

Your printer can get hacked. Someone could remotely bust into it and view your documents. A crook can infect your home printer with a Trojan to not only spy, but install malware. And if your printer is potentially a target for hackers, imagine what else around your house could be, such as your router and any other gadget that’s connected to the Internet.

From carjack to car-hack. A connected car can be hacked via its wireless enabled radio, with commands then going to the steering wheel or brakes. Know any computer geniuses who hate you and know your car is connected?

Satellite airline equipment is vulnerable to malicious invasions; this has potential repercussions to the communications involving airplanes and ships. This kind of hacking can go as far as tricking a plane to redirect its course.

The TSA carry-on baggage scanner can be hacked into and then used to get weapons past TSA checkpoints. There’s even a feature that can show fake images on the X-ray screen.

So, don’t worry about any of this. But DO something about it. At a minimum lock down your wireless with encryption. Routers come with WPA/2 security and it should be activated. Otherwise deploy antivirus, antispyware, antiphishing and a firewall.