SEPTEMBER 2017 | MANE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | 7
COULD YOUR FRIDGE STEAL YOUR MONEY?
With the growth in consumer good connected to the internet we are not in a world of ‘the internet of things’. There are concerns that hackers will be able to tap into any internet enabled device such as refrigerators, televisions and even kettles.
Fridges have the ability once connected to the internet to remind you of your daily tasks and upcoming events, whilst televisions can suggest programmes using the internet and your history. Even kettles are now being connected to the internet so you can turn them on whilst still in bed via an app, saving you even more time before work when you really need that morning coffee.
However the Chief Constable of Durham Police has warned that this technology could be opening for online hackers. He suggests there should be more information on how secure these appliances are when advertising. He further states that hackers will not be tapping into your fridge to find out how much milk you drink a week but that everything connected to the internet are plugged into the same network and that these new appliances are just another, maybe less secure, door to your personal details. Fridges now have the ability to order your shopping for you online, which requires your bank details, this personal information could be sitting in your fridge waiting for a hacker to open the door to it.
Scary figures show that cybercrime accounts for almost half of all recorded crime in the country, on the other hand this may be higher as many victims do not report crimes to the police in the belief that nothing can be done to catch the criminals.
Some people also have concern with devices fitted with cameras such as new Televisions and computers. There is fear that criminals may be spying on people inside their own homes, this alarming realisation has put an increase pressure on the government to ensure that cutting edge new technology is secure for consumer use. One argument put forward is that if all devices were sold with a clear security rating consumers would be more informed of how best to protect themselves and their assets online.