Hackers Will Become Our Big Brothers Thanks to IoT Devices

In the coming years, we’re going to have to come to terms with the fact that cybersecurity is going to be one of the biggest dangers facing us as a civilization. The world’s largest institutions, institutions we’ve come to trust, have proven to be vulnerable to data leaks. As a result, we should be wary of the unfettered adoption of the internet of things.

The many voice-enabled systems, in particular, have slowly permeated our lives. No longer is voice command a gimmick relegated to automobiles. Rather, whole “things” are made for the sole purpose of receiving your voice. When you ask Alexa to play your favorite songs, is Alexa the only one who knows your favorite songs or did Joe from Iowa just anonymously route that information to his server?

The problem of security isn’t limited to a speaker. By 2025, the IoT market will grow to 75.4 billion devices. This includes cameras, door locks, printers, heating and cooling systems, among many other devices. The problem here isn’t the fact that these devices can’t be secured. It’s that after years of living in an age where speakers were never “smart,” we still haven’t adjusted our suppositions regarding these devices. We think that having a tiny device that is connected and therefore more functional is a cool thing rather than a dangerous thing. So, basic security practices…