From refrigerators to baby monitors, all kinds of smart devices are connected to the Internet of Things.
But now, the federal government is worried that some connected devices could be a threat to national security.
A bi-partisan group of senators is sponsoring legislation to make the Internet of Things safer – devices with computer chips and sensors that are connected to the internet.
A bi-partisan group of senators is sponsoring legislation to make the Internet of Things safer – devices with computer chips and sensors that are connected to the internet. Pictured is LG Electronics’ VP of Marketing presenting the LG InstaView Door-in-Door smart refrigerator
Colorado’s US Senator Cory Gardner, who is part of the bi-partisan group, told CBS Denver that these devices could be used as weapons of mass destruction.
‘The federal government orders billions of dollars worth of Internet of Things devices each and every year,’ said Senator Gardner.
‘These are things that can be hacked into.
‘You can try to control systems, instruments with them.
‘You can certainly read what people are doing and maybe even eavesdrop on a conversation people are having.’
Last year, for example, hackers shut down major websites such as Twitter and Spotify, and 500,000 items were potentially at risk of being activated without their owners’ knowledge, with everything from baby monitors, DVR’s, security cameras and other gadgets turned into cyber weapons.
A recent study by researches at the University of Princeton found that details of your private habits within your own home could be sold on to advertisers by broadband providers.
Information transmitted by products ranging from home security cameras, toasters and sleep monitors could be sold to third parties to help them target their products.
The researchers set up their own test smart home, fitted with seven Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
They hoped to examine the kind of data they might reveal about their users, by looking at metadata.
The federal government is worried that some connected devices could be a threat to national security. Pictured left is Griffin Technology’s Bluetooth-enabled coffee maker, and right its toaster, which remembers your preferences
This includes how and when someone accesses their internet connection, but not what they have sent and received.
This information is relatively unprotected and can reveal private information about our personal habits.
This could range from when we access an internet connected baby monitor to our use of smart sex toys.
The Princeton team found that Internet Service Providers could identify four of the devices, including an Amazon Echo, by characteristic features of how they connect to the internet alone.
Colorado’s US Senator Cory Gardner told CBS Denver that internet-connected devices could be used as weapons of mass destruction. Gardner is sponsoring a bill that would require internet-connected devices bought by the government to meet certain security standards
BIZARRE HOME DEVICES THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET
From refrigerators to baby monitors, all kinds of smart devices are connected to the Internet of Things.
But now, the federal government is worried that some connected devices are could be a threat to national security.
Just some of the devices that are connected to the internet include:
- Smalt: A smart salt shaker with built-in speakers
- Mimo: A connected onesie that monitors a baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels
- Connected mirror: Giffin’s Connected Mirror won’t just show you your reflection, the smart device presents time, weather and status messages from other Griffin Home products.
- Vessyl: An internet connected cup that tells you what’s inside your drink and it’s nutritional content.
- FitBark: A dog collar that works as an activity tracker for dogs.
- Loon Cup: A smart menstrual cup which helps women track the flow of their periods, alerting your phone when it needs to be emptied.
- Lixil Satis Integrated toilet: A toiler that can be controlled by a companion app, which lets you track on a calendar when you’ve gone to the bathroom.
- Bluesmart’s bluetooth luggage: A luggage with mobile connection and built-in scale, and a digital lock that can be controlled by an Apple Watch.
Griffin’s Connected Mirror won’t just show you your reflection, the smart device presents time, weather and status messages from other Griffin Home products. The smart mirror displays essential information discretely, on demand with a tap of the app
Senator Gardner, who is also Chair of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, is sponsoring a bill that would require internet-connected devices bought by the government to meet certain security standards – for example through measures such as firewalling off information and making sure that there isn’t a hardcoded password from a factory that someone has access to.
According to Senator Gardner, many of these devices are imported from other countries and are not secure, making them vulnerable doors into governments that can be used be criminals or other nations.
‘We’re facing kind of a brave new world when it comes to these things and we need to be prepared from a policy standpoint to address it,’ said Senator Gardner.
Although this legislation only applies to devices purchased by the government, Senator Gardner hopes the changes will be applied to devices sold in the private sector.