It finally feels as though we're about to hit the point of no return with IoT. IT departments must now consider and address the security implications.
You Can't Secure Insecure IoT Devices
Some IoT devices, especially those that offer plug-and-play installation, can be difficult, if not impossible, to configure – especially embedded devices that need special diagnostic equipment to interface with them. In this case, the user needs to check whether (and how) the IoT device is configurable and securable. If it isn't, the user needs to think twice about purchasing it because they will be deliberately connecting an insecure IoT device to their network.
The fact that the device is a fridge (or similar household device) is unimportant. Security research has shown that fridges can be recruited into botnets and used to send spam and/or learn more about the rest of the household network for a future criminal act.