Expert: Cyberattacks can hit smart devices, even fridges and freezers
After incidents in Europe in which attackers remotely changed temperature settings in shop refrigeration systems, a Bite Latvija expert recommends five steps to secure connected devices. In a survey, 18% of Latvian companies said they had already faced cyberattacks.
An expert at Bite Latvija, a Latvian electronic communications and ICT service provider, is urging businesses and households to review the security of their internet-connected devices. The reason is a series of cyber incidents in Europe in recent weeks, in which attackers gained access to food stores' refrigeration systems and remotely changed their temperature settings.
Vilnis Kibermanis, head of the technical solutions expert team at Bite Latvija, says the cases show how an attack in the digital environment can have physical consequences. Supermarket fridges and freezers are just one example, he says, as any poorly protected, remotely managed device can become a target.
Which devices are at risk
In companies these can include production and refrigeration equipment, heating and ventilation systems, sensors and access control solutions. At home they include security cameras, smart locks, solar panel systems, alarms and heating controllers.
A survey of company managers by Bite Latvija and the research agency SKDS underlines the relevance of the risks. In it, 18% of companies said they had already encountered cyberattacks that caused difficulties or problems. Another 24% said a complete shutdown of computers and computer systems for two to three days would cause them very large or fairly large losses.
Five recommendations
- Change default passwords to unique, secure ones and review access rights; delete or disable accounts and remote access options that are no longer needed.
- Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) for remote access where the platform offers it. In companies this matters especially for administrators, employees and external service partners.
- Update devices regularly, including cameras, routers, sensors and smart home equipment. If the manufacturer no longer provides updates, consider replacing the device or restricting its network access. Companies are advised to keep an inventory of devices.
- Separate important equipment from the rest of the network (network segmentation), allowing only necessary connections. At home, smart devices can be isolated using the router's guest network or a separate network.
- Know what is connected to the network, spot unusual logins and settings changes, and agree in advance on how to respond to an incident.
Kibermanis stresses that the starting point is a simple question: do we know which devices are connected to our network? Next is understanding what can access them, whether they are updated, and whether anyone would notice an attempt to change their operation.
