Your fridge could be a threat to national security

Your fridge isn't just a kitchen appliance—it could be a backdoor into national infrastructure. In a startling revelation from CrowdStrike’s latest Global Threat Report, Adam Myers, Senior Vice President of Counter Adversary Operations, reveals that nation-state actors are increasingly exploiting everyday IoT devices like home routers, webcams, and even robot vacuums to launch sophisticated cyberattacks. These devices, often unpatched and poorly secured, serve as stealthy proxies for attackers to bypass identity-based defenses and move laterally through corporate networks. What’s more alarming: the average breakout time—the time it takes for an attacker to move from initial access to full system compromise—has dropped from 62 minutes in 2023 to just 29 minutes in 2025, with one attack completing in under 30 seconds. The real danger lies in the convergence of AI, supply chain vulnerabilities, and human error: attackers use AI to generate fake resumes, deepfakes, and even hallucinated code dependencies, while insiders—often recruited through remote job scams—are used to infiltrate high-value targets. Yet defenders are fighting back with AI-powered agents that automate threat hunting, malware analysis, and exposure management, turning the tide in the cyber arms race. The episode underscores that security is no longer just about firewalls and patches—it’s about visibility, intelligence, and understanding your attack surface at every level.