IT expert urges smart-home users to install security updates

Smart-home buyers should check whether manufacturers provide security updates and install them, IT expert Jodok Batlogg told ORF Vorarlberg, after cyberattacks targeted supermarket refrigeration systems in several European countries.

The attacks took place overnight into Monday. In Belgium, temperatures in some supermarkets rose to 50 degrees, forcing staff to clear many refrigerated displays. Meat, dairy products and frozen food spoiled.

Internet-connected household devices can also be vulnerable, from robot vacuums controlled by phone to alarm systems that owners can monitor remotely. Batlogg said security updates are important because software flaws need to be fixed and security protocols kept up to date.

He also advised against using easily guessed passwords, such as a birthday or a pet’s name, and recommended using different passwords for each device. A password manager can store them, he said.

Batlogg questioned whether every connected feature is useful, such as a notification that a washing machine has finished, but said remote functions such as preheating a car or switching on an alarm system can be worthwhile. He said artificial intelligence could make it easier to find security weaknesses, while also raising standards for security.