One factor which is often overlooked by tech and gadget enthusiasts frothing at the mouth with excitement over the incoming surge of intelligent, connected home devices is security.
Since computers became commonplace in the home most of us have got to grips with the idea that they need to be kept secure. Even your grandmother is probably comfortable running a virus checker or spyware killer these days.
But it takes a stretch of the imagination to understand that attacks could soon be coming from a multitude of other angles. With the explosion in IoT (Internet of Things) devices in our homes we are also becoming more vulnerable to hacking. Many argue that the smart Smart Home owner must be ready to take the same level of precautions with their smart fridge, television, thermostat, lightbulb or kettle as they would with their PC – or indeed their front door.
The theory is simple – more devices means more possible attack vectors for intruders who want your data. The how and the why is a bit more complicated - what benefit would an attacker gain from taking control of your smart fridge?
Well, aside from causing mischief (which is certainly the main motive for a good deal of IoT hacking activity) the likelihood is that they want to use it to take advantage of network vulnerabilities which would allow them to get at the real jackpot – other devices such as PCs or phones which are far more likely to hold sensitive and valuable information.
In the very near future, we could be living in homes which are constantly collecting knowledge about everything we do – when we sleep, where we are in the house at any time of the day, and how long we leave our homes empty for.
Potential dangers include hackers selling this information to the highest bidder on the dark web – and in a nightmare scenario perhaps even offering to unlock your doors or windows remotely at a pre-agreed time.
If an attacker is being creepy rather than trying to actually physically get at you or your property, they could access remotely controlled devices such as security cameras or baby monitors, or even just turn lights on and off in the middle of the night.
Another angle of attack would be faked faults and prompts to make service calls or download patches. These patches could be malware designed to access other devices on your network through the supposedly faulty appliance.
Ransomware is another potential danger. These viruses are already used to infect computers and make valuable data unusable unless a ransom is paid. Last year researchers as
So what does all this now mean for ordinary people with smart devices in their homes? I spoke to Mika Majapuro, director of product management at IOT security specialists F-Secure, who listed 5 basic precautions that can be taken by consumers to minimize risks as much as possible.
Of course, the impetus will be on manufacturers and vendors to be equally, if not more, concerned with taking every precaution necessary to keep you safe. With tech the temptation is always to rush to market in order to snap up those early adopter bucks. While consumers may grudgingly accept that a new PC operating system is likely to have a few bugs which need ironing out after release, they will probably not be so forgiving of a home security or smart door locking system.
Manufacturers will also have to choose their partners very carefully. Vendors will often be relying on third parties to host your data. With today’s cloud based on-demand services a whole chain of entities could have access to your data or elements of your infrastructure, so businesses will end up relying on the reputation of those they choose to work with.
Additionally, some may have to train out the “collect it all and analyze it later” mind set. While this may have (inadvisably) become a standard in industry, when dealing with uniquely sensitive personal data, it’s a strategy which poses far too many risks. Any piece of personal data which can potentially leak or be stolen should be thought of as a security risk both to the consumer and the commercial entity which provides the service. Because with new legislation paving the way for monumental fines for businesses which fail to adequately protect personal data, that is certainly the case.
In my opinion there’s no need to be overly scared of IoT devices and the smart home. As convenience and labor saving devices they undoubtedly have the potential to make our lives easier, safer and more comfortable. But caution will certainly be advisable – and consumers can start to protect themselves by first asking “Do I need it?” and secondly “Do I understand what it does?”
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