Computers and smartphones get hacked all the time. For decades, PCs have been part of a zombie network of “bot-nets,” infiltrated by hackers in malicious attacks, and then activated to send spam mail without the owner’s permission and often without their knowledge. Bot-nets – short, in the computer world, for “robot networks” – are incredibly dangerous because they give the hacker control of a veritable army of computers. With this army, the controller of the robot network – also called the “herder” – can do anything from uploading malware to the internet to sending emails loaded with Trojan Horse viruses. In short, bot-nets are a supremely destructive force and contribute greatly to the $100 billion that cybercrime costs the United States government in any given year.

But not only are bot-nets already a huge problem for the cyber-security industry,  they are also getting worse as the world continues to become more and more reliant on internet connectivity. What used to be a problem simply contained to desktop PCs evolved when portable laptops came along, and grew again as smartphones became a major component in internet browsing. With each step, computers have become less and less secure. Where most people will at least protect their desktops or laptops with firewall or anti-virus protection software, smartphones are typically left almost entirely unguarded from internet attacks, making them an easy attack for cyber criminals looking to build their robot networks.

Now, things are set to grow worse once more. That’s because smartphones, as unprotected as they are, seem like bona fide strongholds when compared to other smart devices. From smart TVs to smart cars, houses are filling up with devices and belongings with the ability to access the internet. Unfortunately, these devices are largely left woefully unprotected against malicious attacks, making them prime targets for bot-net participation.

In fact, some of these devices have already joined the zombie computer networks behind malicious spam attacks and other instances of cybercrime. According to a study launched by the security company Proofpoint, some 100,000 smart devices, from mp3 players to TVs – and even a refrigerator – were used by hackers to distribute 750,000 spam emails.

Proofpoint believes that attacks executed through smart objects like these are particularly dangerous, because the vast majority of people would never think to protect their refrigerator from malicious software, and would therefore never know if it were compromised and corralled into a robot army. For the safety and greater good of the cyber-security industry, consumers need to protect their smart devices in order to cut down on bot-net numbers. However, most consumers probably won’t be willing to pay extra for third-party anti-virus software for all of their smart devices, meaning that the device manufacturers need to figure out a way to incorporate protective measures during the product design stages.