Today, devices are more connected than they ever have been. Thanks to new technology and innovation, limits are being removed from who/what we can connect with, when, where and even how. This offers consumers big advantages. For example, we can now turn up the heating from our mobiles, on our way home from work ready for when we get in. There is no longer a need to go home and wrap in a blanket until the boiler kicks in. Smart home technology allows our phone to do this for us.
This new world of connectivity is known as the Internet of Things (IoT). Although this concept of a connected life is exciting, it can come with large risks. Today, there is still little evidence that IoT consumers are aware of the potential security threats of the services and devices they are using. The average person has no idea that a hacker could breach their burglar alarm through a connected thermostat.
Yet it is consumers who potentially have the most to lose, whether it is their personal possessions, their identities or even in truly extreme cases, their lives.
Data in the wrong hands can be manipulated for advanced attacks, and in some cases sold. Consumers must have at least a basic understanding of what data their devices are collecting and who it is being shared with.
Understandably not all consumers are security experts, but as IoT grows they must become more savvy. Today general day-to-day use of technology has been made so simple, that people no longer make the effort to understand the devices they are using. With so much on the table to lose, consumers must begin to take this seriously.
There is a lot that consumers need to know and understand, but as it stands there is no single body dedicated to driving this IoT security message. Governments, industry associations and manufacturers need to support consumers. Together we can create a society that is educated about IoT security and actively taking necessary measurements to protect against attacks.
To find out more about the different IoT security challenges consumers face, and potential combat methods please download our co-branded report here.