The “Internet of everything” is one of the most exciting concept. It describes a world where objects have a sensor to detect, measure and object their status; all connected over public or private network using standard or proprietary protocols and this takes us one step closer to the “home of the future”, where most appliances are not only able to connect to the internet but also gives you full control no matter where you are as long as you are online.
In this article, using “smartphones” as a case study, we will discuss the possible risks of using our phones as a smart-home controller as well as how to overcome these risks.
Research has shown that “nearly nine in ten consumers see their mobile device as a smart- home controller”. According to the survey done by GFK on 1000 US internet users above the age of 18 shows that 89% of respondents said that they use their smart phone to control many of their products and services. The chart is shown below.
The smart phone is no longer just a portable computer in your pocket. it has become the remote control for most appliances at home. Even the smallest tasks can be carried out through mobile apps that work with accessories and internet connection, things like flipping off the living room light, unlocking your front door or getting a reading of your blood pressure. The idea of turning of the light with a smart phone or reading your blood pressure may seem gimmicky , but customers are warming up to product by several other companies that take advantage of a smartphone’s sensors and connections to the internet to carry out tasks like monitoring consumers health. However, as exciting as it is we still have to approach it carefully. This is because most of the tech fueling this new era is still based on the current mobile device technology, which could potentially suffer the same pitfalls of todays mobile devices in terms of security
Possible risks
We should consider the potential risks this poses to the “internet of everything”. Imagine a scenario of a cybercriminal being able to enter someone’s home just by hacking into their smartphone. Using a smartphone as a centralized remote for an automated home means that all the security threats inherent in the platform could affect the home itself.
Here are examples of these threats and how they could affect the automated home:
- Mobile malware- this can be used to steal information from the control center and those that connect to it via a remote malicious attacker, it may also infect appliances with screens like your TV.
- Unsecured connections- the apps that manage the connected system may not use strong encryptions to protect the information they receive from the internet. This could result to information leak and theft. The information stored on the smartphone itself may also be stolen as well.
- High risks app- These are apps that are not necessarily malwares but are programmed to collect and store information in an unsecured manner. These could be taken advantage of to steal information that could lead to the infiltration of the home network
- App vulnerabilities- This can also be exploited to ‘mine’ the information they receive and send for theft and blackmail purposes. They can even be used to take control of the hub or prevent the malware from being detected.
We can see from this potential threats that the consequences of having a compromised smartphone which is being used as a remote hub for an automated home can be serious.
How do we fix this?
Securing the “Internet of everything”
What can be done to secure the “Internet of Everything” from possible pitfalls? If you are yet to buy into the “Internet of everything” or in this case the smartphone hub, it’ll be best to wait because the technology is still being tested and is not yet stable even though a multitude of product already exist to take advantage of it. So going into it while developers are still working on it can expose your home and loved ones to risks. However, there are a few recommendations:
* Protect your smartphone
The smartphone to be used as the remote hub must be protected. A security solution that has its own built-in-security options should be installed to help prevent it from becoming the weak point for malwares to penetrate through.
* Separate your phone
You should also look into separating the remote hub smartphone from your daily set of devices, this basically involves segregating the hub from casual or personal use. This eliminates the chances of malicious apps being downloaded on the device and also prevents possible security flaws.
The discovery of this technology promises us a vision for tomorrow in an all-new exciting frontier. But just as all frontiers, it has its own share of challenges that we can overcome if treated carefully.
