The world’s first death caused by the Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to occur before the end of the year, according to a report by The European Police Office (Europol).
The greatest risk is likely to come from hackers targeting crucial health and safety equipment as more and more devices become susceptible to remote hacking.
Outside of medical devices, web connected homes and cars could also prove a threat to the user’s personal safety if hacked. Europol has claimed that such an attack is becoming inevitable, with reports of IoT vulnerabilities already surfacing.
The Independent claims that as many as 300 monitors used to analyze high-risk pregnancies in the US have been slowed down due to malware. Former US vice-president Dick Cheney also disabled the wireless connectivity of his implanted defibrillator as a result of health concerns.
Source: Beta News
