Internet of Things security investigation demanded by Dutch MPs

The Tweede Kamer is calling on the Dutch government to do something about unsafe internet of things devices. A vast majority of 148 out of 150 parliamentarians voted for a motion demanding an investigation into what security requirements can be set, NU.nl reports.

The motion demands that the government investigates what minimum security requirements can be imposed on the internet of things, how those requirements can be enforced and what other measures are necessary to protect consumers from poorly-protected devices.

SP parliamentarian Maarten Hijink and D66 MP Kees Verhoeven submitted the motion during a parliamentary debate about the massive WannaCry ransomware attack, that affected some 200 thousand computers worldwide last month.

Many smart devices nowadays have an internet connection, but aren't well protected. Some use a default password set by the manufacturer, for example. These poorly-protected devices are a weak link in consumer internet security that can be exploited by hackers.

"Many consumers are simply not aware of the dangers", Hijink said, according to the newspaper. "You can increase that awareness, but as long as manufacturers sell products that are unsafe to normal users, you won't achieve much."