Hackers tapping home applicances to launch attacks

The devices in people’s homes and offices that are connected to the Internet — things like routers and cameras and rice makers and thermostats — are going to be increasingly taken over by hackers in the coming weeks and used to suppress free speech and commit crime.

Cybersecurity experts have been issuing the warning since last week when a malicious piece of secret software that was used in a major attack was publicly released for anyone to use.