A cyberattack on a US breathalyzer firm left thousands unable to drive, underscoring once again the risk of growing internet connectivity for devices designed for offline activity.
Intoxalock provides court-mandated breath tests to drivers with DUI convictions; if they fail the in-car test, their vehicle won’t start. But the unspecified attack blocked its back-end systems.
Cyberattacks, often for ransom, are on the rise, and the growth of internet-connected systems mean that they can have unexpected impact: The US retailer Whole Foods was left unable to stock its shelves last year after one such attack, the French postal service was brought down around Christmas, and the British Library was disrupted for over two years by a major hack in 2023.