Internet-enabled devices are popping up in cars, home appliances, medical devices, and even children’s toys. With them, people are able to drive handsfree on the way to work, monitor the conditions of their home while on vacation, check in with their doctors about tests, and keep an eye on newborns as they sleep. While such connectedness brings convenience, it also makes us vulnerable to hacking. The next time you use a device that connects to the internet, you ought to remember that you might not be the only one logging in. As more and more companies and brands find new ways to connect everyday items to the Internet, an increasing number of hackers are discovering ways to exploit them.
Besides privacy concerns, there are thousands of safety implications for the person whose just had a personal device hacked. There are many cases where hackers hold private files on people’s personal devices for ransom, traumatizing the victim. The fear of being hacked becomes all the scarier when you consider the likelihood of occurrence; recent research revealed that nearly three-quarters of all Internet-connected devices are susceptible to compromise.
An awareness for what items in your possession are susceptible to a hack can make all the difference. To give you a greater understanding of the various items in your life that can expose you to an attack, here’s a list of 15 devices that are vulnerable to hacking.