How many devices in your house are currently connected to the internet? Those devices, which include far more than computers, tablets, and smartphones, are often referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT). The washer and dryer in your laundry room might be WiFi-enabled to send alerts when loads are finished; the video doorbell can upload footage to the cloud for remote viewing; your smart thermostat can be set to warm or cool the house before you get home. These conveniences are becoming more and more common in the products we buy, whether we're actively seeking the features or not. And unfortunately, this poses a considerable security risk.

The following infographic from BigRentz outlines 15 items that are potentially hackable in the world of IoT devices. These include vehicle, commercial, and home systems, and range from ubiquitous tools to cutting-edge tech that's only starting its integration into our daily lives. For more details and examples of each of these systems being exploited, check out this blog article.

A few of these points won't affect most of us — for example, while driverless cars are theoretically vulnerable to being maliciously remote-controlled, you probably don't have one in your garage yet. Even if you did, most hackers won't invest time and effort into what is (at least currently) a specialized niche. However, other IoT systems such as WiFi-enabled printers, baby monitors, and security cameras are commonplace in homes and businesses. Other tech may be on the distant horizon for now, but will become a greater concern as it becomes more widespread, unless more steps are taken to improve network security.

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Written by Patrick McCarthy