What role will you play in ensuring IoT security?
IFA 2017 Question of the Day
Connected appliances are a boon for businesses and a benefit for homeowners. But any internet enabled device is vulnerable to hacking, and smart refrigerators, smart dishwashers and other machines for the home are no exception.
According to IBM’s Chris O’Connor, insufficient protections for connected devices could present an opportunity for hackers to obtain private data, manipulate devices, or deny service to applications that interact with IoT systems.
Consumers might not see their air conditioners or dryers as prime hacking targets, but hackers have a record of tampering with even less obvious prey. In 2014, for instance, a man hacked into an Internet-enabled Foscam baby monitor in Cincinnati and screamed at a 10-month old girl.
“No matter the intended use of devices, if those devices are vulnerable to being taken control of, they could be used to mount attacks or cause havoc,” O’Connor writes.
While attacks on smart home devices are relatively uncommon — only 10 percent of American consumers had been targeted, according to a study by Zogby Analytics for the Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company — the risks could intensify as devices become more widespread. According to IHS Technology, there could be more than 470 million connected appliances in the market by 2020.
Connected appliances present unique security challenges, since they may be connected to a variety of networks, application systems, and devices — including a consumer’s mobile device. That entire ecosystem must be considered as part of an IoT system’s security features, which means that protecting connected devices must be a team effort.
“Every participant in the IoT ecosystem has a responsibility for the security of the devices, data and solutions. This means that device manufacturers, application developers, consumers, operators, integrators and enterprise businesses all have their part to play to follow best practices,” O’Connor writes.
What role will you play in ensuring IoT security? Are your IoT enabled appliances secure?
Tell us what you think about the future of IoT device security. And visit IBM experts in Berlin from September 1–6 at IFA 2017, Europe’s biggest global conference for consumer electronics and adjacent industries, to continue the conversation.
