Internet experts fear that murdering via internet could happen before the end of this year with the internet of things. For instance a device that is connected to the internet that can also monitor your sugar levels and tells you when to use your insulin can be hacked and reprogrammed to display wrong sugar levels leading to an over dose. Or even someone who is admitted to the hospital having their blood changed via a machine that is connected to the internet, which can be hacked and again be reprogrammed to change the blood flow at slower speed then the usual that may cause blood to clot and can cause serious problems in later on or possibly even lead to death.
This theory was recently raised from Europol Cyber Crime Centre (EC3) research, namely Internet Organized Crime Threat Assessment Report. It not only talks about criminals using different devices to use them against their owners but the same report also talks about the prospect of hacking tools. Sophisticated malicious products and services which are being sold to novice hackers, which definitely is a threat to business and users.
The report further states that as more and more objects are being connected to the internet which is causing the cloud to create new and complex infrastructures due to which attackers have a chance to plan attacks on different objects; if those objects are difficult to hack then that only leads the hacker to try different methods to attacks which is a good way to learn in their community. The report also says that the forms of attacks can include new ways of blackmailing, data mining or simply data theft, physical injury and even death.
One official from the United States Security said that hackers have the power to start a chaos inside your home, they have the power to burn it down by hacking your oven to fill your house with gas and then start the fire by igniting it or hacking in to the CCTV camera system and turning the DVR off to allow the burglars inside.
It is scary to know devices that are connected to the net can be used for malicious purposes that have been growing with medical equipments, house hold equipment, aircrafts and God knows what not. All we can suggest is that do not always leave your devices connected to the internet.
Links: Protect your PC and mobile devices from hackers & governments and surf anonymously
Sources:
http://siliconangle.com/blog/2013/07/31/death-by-internet-of-things-how-smart-gadgets-kill/
http://www.itpro.co.uk/security/23200/crime-as-a-service-lowers-entry-barriers-to-cybercrime-world
http://www.itpro.co.uk/hacking/23242/first-iot-mediated-murder-could-occur-in-2014-experts-warn