Hanover, Germany (Reuters)-
Not just computers and mobile phones are vulnerable to cyber attacks, according to Trend Micro, a software company.
With more and more devices connected to the Internet, it could be anything from medical devices to industrial machinery --
There are even sex toys.
To illustrate this, Trend Micro spokesman Udo Schneider surprised reporters by releasing a large neon light at this week's press conference.
The pink vibrator on the table in front of him then implements it by typing a few lines of code on the laptop.
Although the stunt caused a smile, the message was clear.
With the proliferation of smart interactive devices connected to the Internet, there is growing concern about inadequate safeguards and insufficient awareness of consumers and employees.
"It would be interesting if I cracked a vibrator," Raimund Genes, Tokyo's Chief Technology Officer --
At the Hannover CeBIT technology expo, Trend Micro, who went public, told reporters.
"But if I could get to the back
Finally, I can blackmail the manufacturer, "he added, referring to the programming system behind the interface of the device.
Germany is the host of CeBIT and home to world champion manufacturers, and according to the government's latest IT security report, Germany offers a wealth of options for hackers and attacks on industrial production sites are increasing
In 2014, a German steel factory suffered "great damage" after a network attack on the factory network ".
In recent weeks, several hospitals in Germany have been attacked by Ransomware, a virus that encrypts data on infected machines and requires users to pay for it
The German government has its own role model.
Last year, when hackers attacked the computer network in the lower house of parliament, forced it to shut down the system for a few days, and damaged a lot of data, they called me.
"If someone decides to shoot with a pistol from the roof of the Capitol (parliament)
They have security everywhere.
But when the data is taken away for a few months, no one will take it lightly, "said Dirk Arendt, director of public affairs at Check Point Software Technologies, an Israeli cybersecurity company (CHKP. O).
"People lack awareness.
In response to growing cyber threats, Germany approved an IT security law in last July, ordering 2,000 key infrastructure providers to implement minimum security standards and reporting serious violations or penalties. Fifty-
According to Bitkom, an IT lobby group, 1% of companies have been victims of digital espionage, data theft or vandalism in the past two years.
The threat is even more serious among small German companies. to-medium-
A large manufacturer known as Mittelstand, two of them
Thirty companies registered for the attack.
As companies connect machines to the Internet, enabling them to collect and exchange data, and making remote control easier, 84% of managers expect the risk to rise, according to a network security report from Deutsche Telekom.
While Germans are wary of data protection because they have had state surveillance experience with the Stasi secret police in East Germany and the Gestapo under Nazi rule, arendt said data security needs to be paid more attention.
Employees need to be aware of the danger of opening up suspicious --
He added that looking at PDFs in the same way is like a driver being warned not to overspeed by a huge roadside sign.
"We only wake up when the damage happens," he said . ".
"There are enough examples of successful hacking cases.
Next steps are needed to get back to safety. ” ($1 = 0. 9002 euros)