Whose IoT devices were breached in 2015?

IoT, as we all know, is not without issues–though we have become reliant upon it in many ways.. In 2015, there were some very viable and tangible proofs that the IoT field is fraught with real peril and that we as IoT designers, developers and companies need to be paying more attention to security. Just how many different IoT companies and arenas were breached? The answer might surprise you– not to mention terrify you.

Most of us read about the car that was taken over and driven into a ditch. The ramifications of that were clear to all of us, but some even more frightening things have taken place this year..

Did you know that a flight was taken over– and the man who took over the flight bragged that he had also manipulated the space station?

In the past year, the following hacks have taken place.

Medical devices–The FDA ordered that specific drug pumps be no longer used. The software was bad enough that hackers could change the dosage being delivered to people who were using them.So we have the possibility of murder by internet?? http://www.securityweek.com/fda-issues-alert-over-vulnerabl…

The DOE--According to a June 2015 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, hackers successfully compromised U.S. Department of Energy computer systems more than 150 times between 2010 and 2014. “Records show 53 of the 159 successful intrusions were “root compromises ” “http://www.usatoday.com/…/cyber-attacks-doe-energy/71929786/

A Steel Mill–An entire steel mill was breached resulting in “massive destruction of equipment” http://www.wired.com/…/…/german-steel-mill-hack-destruction/

The US National Nuclear Security Administration–The people who are responsible for managing and securing the entire nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile, experienced 19 successful cyber attacks during the four-year period of 2010 – 2014

Firearms–TrackingPoint makes a smart rifle–what it does is to digitally “tag” a target, and then locks the trigger until the gun is perfectly positioned to hit it –and it can hit up to half a mile away but… now there has been a serious flaw found in the software so that a hacker could make a law enforcement hit the hostage rather than the intended target.http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/29/technology/hack-smart-rifle/

Offshore Oil Rigs –Hackers have also shut down an oil rig by tilting it sideways..They hit another rig so hard with malware it was not seaworthy for 19 days..

Government Buildings Department of Homeland Security recently disclosed that hackers had managed to penetrate a state government facility and a manufacturing plant in New Jersey–now all they did was change the temperature, but what COULD they have done.. really think about that.
Last.. but not least.. go ahead and buy that cool toaster and refrigerator….. a funny thing happened with hundreds of kitchens in the UK. All of tehm were hacked and the resultant hack wouldn’t allow them to make certan kinds of food in their toaster or store it in their fridge.http://www.cbronline.com/…/iot-security-breach-forces-kitch…

IOT is a time saver and offers us incredible convenience, but as we’re beginning to find out, there are some real ramifications to the use of IoT devices that we need to be aware of. More to the point, companies and industries who are offering these devices need to take full responsibility to assure the security of the devices they are offering. IoT security workers and developers are more important than ever before..

For more information about IOT and Security check out our new website www.internetofthingsrecruting.com – Need to update you IOT Security Team – Click Here to schedule a free IOT Needs Assessment Call.