As the Security Team at Microsoft discovered , there were attacks in April on a VoIP phone, an office printer and a video player. The devices were still running with the manufacturer’s default passwords or had not downloaded security updates. According to heise.de , the aim of the hackers was to gain access to company networks to distribute malware. The message from Microsoft is clear: Companies should be aware of such risks and, above all, ensure better integration of IoT devices. The experts assume that the number of attacks that exploit weak device management will continue to rise.

As recently as July, the TÜV Association warned of cyber attacks on elevators and industrial systems. TÜV Managing Director Dr. Joachim Bühler sees an obligation for politicians in particular in this area: Legislators must take action as independent checks are urgently needed in the digital world.