Why would anyone want a smart fridge? | Dave Schilling
After a hack in France, internet-enabled appliances are looking even less appealing – especially before the holidays We are deep into the holiday season now, past Halloween and a mere two weeks away from American Thanksgiving. I’ve already given up taking care of my body, surrendering fully to gluttony, vices, and going to bed at 7pm because it’s pitch black outside. I’ve begun to hibernate like…
As the holiday season progresses, concerns grow about the potential vulnerabilities of smart fridges and other internet-enabled appliances. Recently, French supermarkets experienced a remote shutdown of refrigerators by Iranian terrorists, raising fears about the impact on American and British citizens should a similar attack occur during the busy holiday period.
Marks & Spencer in the UK is preparing to release an array of bizarre festive frozen treats, while American grocery retailer Trader Joe's offers whimsical items like toffee-flavored cheddar cheese and dog-friendly pumpkin spice yogurt dip. Despite the convenience of controlling appliances remotely, the threat of hackers exploiting this technology is a significant concern.
Smart fridges, which allow users to adjust settings via smartphone apps, provide limited practical benefits and could easily be targeted by malicious actors. While there are some practical applications, such as monitoring the freshness of food, the convenience of adjusting settings remotely appears to be outweighed by the potential risks.
Some argue that returning to traditional mechanical controls might be a safer alternative during the holiday season, when the need for reliable food supplies is at its peak.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Why would anyone want a smart fridge? | Dave Schilling theguardian.com
