‘Internet of things’ will leave home gadgets vulnerable to hacks, senior police officer warns

‘Consumers who buy internet-enabled devices such as televisions, refrigerators and even kettles are leaving themselves open to hackers who could use them to gain access to their bank accounts, one of the country’s most senior police officers has warned.
Many household appliances can now be linked up to the internet to help streamline the home. Fridges can provide reminders of when to buy milk, while televisions can offer advice on what programmes to watch.
But Mike Barton, the Chief Constable of Durham Police, and the national lead on crime operations, has warned that the technology – known as the “internet of things” – is also leaving people vulnerable to online attacks.
He said that criminals were poised to take advantage of flaws in online security and suggested all new appliances, capable of being hooked up to the internet, should carry a kitemark rating showing how secure they were.
It comes after leaked documents showed that British spy agencies worked with the CIA to turn Samsung televisions and smartphones into bugging devices that can record conversations and even take photographs.’
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