Invasion of the Self-Replicating AI-Malware Botnet

Have you ever counted the computers in your house? Tally them up now.

I’ll wait.

You’re probably including your desktop and laptop computers, if you own some.

I bet you’re also including the smartphones and tablets.

Depending on the size of your family, that might mean 10 at most.

Right? Your count is almost certainly wrong.

I’ve got no fewer than 170 computers in my house.

That’s because my home, like nearly everyone’s, is now chock-full of devices that a reasonable person might not even know are computers.

Mine include speakers and thermostats, wall switches and electric plugs, door locks and cameras, printers and televisions, ceiling fans and window blinds.

Robot vacuums, lawnmowers, and pool cleaners also log on.

So do some refrigerators, toasters, and washing machines.

And that’s just a sample.

Together, this family of supposedly smart gadgets is sometimes referred to as the “internet of things,” or IoT.

If you’ve got a thing that you interact with via an app, then it’s almost certainly online and chattering in the background.