A cyber security expert predicts that hackers steal personal information and bank information from people through coffee machines and smart TVs at home.
Security giant Avast's chief executive, Vince Stekler, also said he refused to use the instant messaging service WhatsApp on his phone because he thought it would jeopardize the privacy of his friends.
The new "smart" coffee machines can be connected to the Internet, allowing homeowners to remotely control them using their phones.
If a user is connected to a virtual assistant software such as Amazon's Alexa, they can even give voice commands to the machine.
Household appliances are increasingly connected to each other through the so-called "internet"of-things’.
This allows the device to be controlled remotely and perform services such as ordering groceries while running in the refrigerator.
But in an interview with The Post at the VivaTech summit in Paris on Sunday, steinkler said the devices were not safe, meaning hackers could access them, and use them to target other devices such as laptops and mobile phones, and then get personal data such as credit card details.
He added: "Once you get into the network, you can get into a more valuable place.
The coffee machine is not designed for safety.
Television is not designed for safety.
They are extra vectors to get into your network.
You can't protect them either.
There will be no Avast [
Protection softwarefor Nespresso.
The 60-year-old steinkler says smart TV is trivial for ranso, with internet-connected cameras and baby monitors being the most vulnerable devices.
Americans compared the threat to a cyber attack on US retail giant Target in 2013, when hackers accessed the network through the company's air-conditioning system and accessed credit card details for 41 million shoppers.
They lost millions of credit card records, Mr. Stackler said.
But they were hacked into the air conditioning of a store by a bad guy. The internet-of-
Everything at home is the same.
Steinkler also revealed that he did not use Facebook's smartphone messaging app, WhatsApp, for privacy concerns.
Previously, WhatsApp was attacked, hackers can control the phone only by calling through the app.
Mr. Steckler said: "before sharing their details with WhatsApp, how many people are asking permission from family and friends?
Everyone thinks privacy is important, but this is not how most people behave.
You are willing to share information with Facebook and you are willing to let Google know each and every one of you because you think the value you get is worth giving up your privacy or the privacy of your friends.
He added: "I don't think WhatsApp knows the phone number and name of thousands of contacts in my phone book.