(INDIANAPOLIS) – The potential targets of cyberthreats include your own body.
Indiana Congresswoman Susan Brooks says in a world where your refrigerator and toaster can take instructions over the Internet, there are more avenues for hackers to wreak havoc. And she warns the so-called “Internet of Things” includes implanted medical devices. She says it’s critical for comapnies and government to identify and plug security gaps.
Brooks told a Midwestern conference of cybersecurity experts they need to bear in mind not everyone is as conscious of digital age dangers as they are, especially those who grew up in a pre-Internet era. She notes technologies which triggered a laugh track on “The Jetsons” when she was growing up are now real life.
And Brooks says some small businesses may be aware of the threats but lack the resources to properly shore up their defenses.
The Cybertech conference is one of three around the world hosted by an Israeli cybersecurity firm. IT experts gathered in Tel Aviv earlier this year and will meet in Tokyo next month. The daylong program included presentations focusing on ways to secure elections, water supplies, and the power grid, and simulations of how to respond to cyberattacks.
(Photo: Brian A. Jackson/Thinkstock)
