I agree that consumers have no good reason for connecting their appliances but I can see how it could be useful for companies. The real problem is, as always, users - in this case companies using old, unsupported tech, not updating firmware, and using default logins.

"Organizations are pouring budget into AI and digital transformation while the systems that keep food cold, water clean, and lights on often run on hardware that has not been funded since installation," said Nicole Carignan, senior vice president of security and AI strategy at cybersecurity company Darktrace.

"Nobody broke into these refrigeration systems with a zero-day," she said, using a term for a flaw that has gone undetected by the system's creators and security reviews. "They got in through internet-facing controllers, end-of-life firmware, and default passwords. That is technical debt coming due."