Uh, Did Your Refrigerator Just Send Me an Internet Virus?

What if, someday, hackers could use devices like your TV or your refrigerator to send malicious emails that infect other internet-connected devices all over the world? Well, buckle up, because that "someday" is today.

Sunnyvale, Calif.-based security firm Proofpoint, Inc. uncovered what it calls an "Internet of Things"-based cyber attack involving household devices. The attack was global, Proofpoint says, and targeted 100,000 everyday consumer gadgets, essentially turning them into bots that sent more than 750,000 malicious emails.

Instead of hacking into traditional computers, this attack targeted devices such as home-networking routers, connected multi-media centers, televisions and at least one "smart" refrigerator. The attack occurred between December 23, 2013 and January 6, 2014.

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"No more than 10 emails were initiated from any single IP address, making the attack difficult to block based on location -- and in many cases, the devices had not been subject to a sophisticated compromise," Proofpoint says. "Instead, misconfiguration and the use of default passwords left the devices completely exposed on public networks, available for takeover and use."

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FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

One big problem is that many of the smart home devices come ready-to-use right out of the box. They're so easy to use, many people don't think about creating a password or changing the factory-provided password. Failing to set your own password makes internet-connected devices easy prey for hackers.

Related: Your Password Is 123456? Wow. Seriously?