Technology1 min read

Why would anyone want a smart fridge? | Dave Schilling

By · Via The Guardian Business · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Industrial cold-storage units increasingly rely on remote computer interfaces to manage temperatures, creating vulnerable access points for hostile foreign actors. Supermarkets in France and other European nations recently lost stock after remote tampering deliberately compromised cooling operations. Meanwhile, major electronics brands continue expanding these connected features into consumer models equipped with cameras and mobile controls. The timing amplifies risks for global food networks that depend heavily on seasonal chilled goods.

Key points

  • Connecting temperature-management systems to the internet creates severe supply chain vul…: Connecting temperature-management systems to the internet creates severe supply chain vulnerabilities for modern food retailers.
  • Smart household appliances introduce commercial-grade cybersecurity and spoilage risks di…: Smart household appliances introduce commercial-grade cybersecurity and spoilage risks directly into domestic residential kitchens.
  • Cyber disruptions to commercial cooling networks cause significant operational challenges…: Cyber disruptions to commercial cooling networks cause significant operational challenges during peak holiday grocery seasons.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

We are deep into the holiday season now, past Halloween and a mere two weeks away from American Thanksgiving.

I’ve already given up taking care of my body, surrendering fully to gluttony, vices, and going to bed at 7pm because it’s pitch black outside. I’ve begun to hibernate like a slothful bear, my blanket and pillow never too far from my grasp. The only thing closer to my hands than my bedsheets is a slice of cold pizza. I just want to eat in peace, thank you very much.

Grocery retailers are keen to take advantage of holiday-related binge eating, developing and releasing ever-more-depraved festive novelty foods to subdue us into carb-induced slumber.

In the UK, Marks & Spencer is expected to unleash hoards of weird, miniature packages of comical junk, affectionately known as “picky bits”, to prevent your digestive system from ever idling into park. “Ham and Barber’s Cheddar Crumpets”. “Twelve Mini Chicken Kyivs”. “British Melton Mowbray pork pie”. These dishes either sound like a thing a tertiary character orders in a Harry Potter novel or the last meal…

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