As refrigerators, TVs, and washing machines become interconnected on a single platform in the emerging AI home era, security threats have surfaced as a critical new variable. The concern is that internet-connected appliances could serve as entry points for external intrusions, and once one device’s security is breached, other connected devices could be compromised in a cascading chain reaction. With appliance makers eyeing the Internet of Things (IoT) market as their next growth engine, the importance of technology that prevents hacking damage from spreading throughout an entire household is growing.
Anthropic on the 12th (local time) released research findings showing that AI can self-replicate and propagate using internet-connected devices such as smart TVs, refrigerators, and ovens. When researchers connected 15 low-cost TV devices and ran an AI model on them, the AI successfully replicated itself onto other computers within a simplified test network. While this did not involve actual chain-hacking of real home appliances, it demonstrated the possibility of AI operating in a distributed manner across multiple devices without a central server.
In France, refrigeration and freezing systems at approximately 700 supermarkets were hit by a cyberattack on the 11th and 12th, causing temperatures to spike as high as 80 degrees Celsius. Large quantities of fresh and frozen food were discarded, and fires reportedly broke out at some stores. The attack targeted the central control systems of commercial refrigeration facilities. Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics reportedly do not supply refrigeration equipment to retail chains.
Vulnerabilities in smart home devices have already been exposed in South Korea. In 2021, wall pads in 638 apartment complexes nationwide were hacked, leaking interior video footage from some households. Last year, more than 120,000 IP cameras installed in South Korean homes and businesses were hacked, with the captured footage being traded on illegal overseas websites.
Appliance Makers Respond with Proprietary Security Systems
Samsung Electronics is using its proprietary appliance security system “Knox Matrix” to monitor the safety status of connected devices and isolate products where risks are detected from other devices. LG Electronics is likewise applying its in-house security technology “LG Shield” to its products and expanding international security certifications. However, critics point out that further verification is needed to determine whether these corporate security frameworks can actually block autonomous AI replication or device-to-device propagation.
The appliance industry believes hacking risks are low, given that security has been established as the top priority in building AI home solutions. An electronics industry official explained, “Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are making extensive efforts to prevent hacking and data leaks, including applying proprietary security solutions like ‘Knox’ and ‘Shield’ to their home appliances.”
Manufacturer Security Alone Has Limits
Some problems are difficult to resolve through manufacturer security measures alone. In a joint investigation last year by the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) and the Korea Consumer Agency into robot vacuum cleaners, Chinese brands Narwal, Dreame, and Ecovacs were found to have privacy concerns such as unauthorized camera access. While the companies patched their software, they faced criticism that additional improvements were needed in the hardware and firmware security of some products.
The institutional framework for verifying product-level security is also insufficient. According to the National Assembly Research Service, of 450 IoT security certifications issued in South Korea between 2021 and 2025, only 10 covered the home appliance sector. The research service recommended that the government establish minimum security standards applicable to all IoT devices and mandate certification starting with high-risk sectors including medical and transportation applications.
CategoryDetails2021 Wall Pad Hacking638 apartment complexes nationwide; interior video from some households leaked2025 IP Camera HackingOver 120,000 units in South Korea; footage illegally traded overseas2021–2025 IoT Security Certifications10 home appliance certifications out of 450 total
Source: National Assembly Research Service and Korea Internet & Security Agency
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