Cyber boss warns over tech vulnerabilities

The boss of the island's cyber security centre has questioned whether so many household and commercial appliances need to be connected to the internet.

It comes after dozens of European supermarkets were hit by cyber-attacks that increased the temperature of freezers to more than 50C (122F).

Matt Palmer, the director of the Jersey Cyber Security Centre, said he "wasn't suggesting that people should unplug devices, but that he would challenge whether everyone needs a connected fridge".

Mark Cox, the chief executive of CI Coop, said its supermarkets had security controls in place in case of cyber threats.

Smart devices connected to the internet can include fridges, central heating and even toasters and washing machines.

There is no evidence domestic appliances are being targeted in the cyber-attacks which affected supermarkets, but it raised questions about the extent to which smart devices are routinely linked to the internet.

Palmer said the field was not easily understood or considered by people.

"It's like it doesn't really exist until it happens to you... this is happening now, all the time, every single day and therefore any system that is connected to the internet, it is only a matter of time until someone finds a way to compromise it if it's vulnerable," he said.

"Which is why it's incredibly important that we patch devices quickly and we only connect devices to the internet if we really need to do so."

He explained his team had three computers around the world that serve as "honey pots" with the aim of appearing vulnerable to attack from hackers.

"Some of those vulnerabilities won't be in a honey pot... they will be in the real systems that we depend on every day, for our lives, for our work, for our families," he said.

"You will see these sudden bursts of attack, that does happen all the time, it can be quiet, it can be busy but it's a constant pulse of activity by people around the internet scanning the systems to see if they are vulnerable."

A spate of cyber-attacks in recent weeks affected supermarkets across Europe as well as the UK meat industry and blood stores in France.

The CI Coop boss said it took cyber-security "extremely seriously" and it was monitoring the European situation closely.

"We are carrying out a specific review of our refrigeration and freezer systems, including their connectivity and the arrangements we have in place with relevant suppliers and service partners" Cox said.

"We also have established procedures for monitoring refrigeration temperatures and protecting food safety, and we will continue to keep our systems and controls under review in light of emerging threats."

The BBC has approached other supermarkets on the island for comment.

Government of Jersey chief executive officer Paul Wylie described cyber-security as one of the island's "top risks" during a scrutiny hearing last month.

The Cyber Security Policy Framework outlined strengthening Jersey businesses' cyber-security and resilience as a top priority.

Wylie said: "We will ensure businesses, organisations and islanders understand the cyber threats they face, supporting their adoption of relevant protective measures and their recovery from a cyber-attack."

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