'Evil' toasters keep cyber experts awake

NEW YORK: Hijacking “smart“ toasters and refrigerators and hacking corporate ventilation systems are among the new threats envisioned by cybersecurity experts as an increasing array of items are connected to the Internet.

The Internet of Things (IoT), a movement that seeks to control everything from factory equipment to traffic lights and household appliances through the Web, creates vast opportunities for improved efficiency and convenience.

But unless companies address the emerging cybersecurity risks, the IoT will fail, said Stephen Pattison, the vice-president i of public affairs at ARM, the UK sef miconductor company.

Paddy Fran cis, CTO for Airbus' Defense and Space division, warned of the risks posed by internet-connect household appliances. The sheer number of these appliances -from coffee makers to refrigerators to televisions -and the relatively weak firewalls, could make such mundane items attractive to cybercriminals for use as “botnets“ in so-called denial of service attacks.