To build a “smart home,” more and more of our household appliances, such as thermostats, coffee makers, outdoor lighting, door locks, and smoke alarms, are connected to the internet. These technological advancements, often known as the “Internet of Things” (loT), are practical and may increase efficiency and safety, but they also provide a fresh set of security vulnerabilities.
Over 12,000 hacking attempts can be made on household IoT products. These smaller, more affordable devices with a variety of user interfaces frequently lack the security measures found on more established computing devices like laptops and smartphones.
What Threats are usually present?
IoT/ICS (Industrial control system) hardware and software development frequently involves errors or omissions.
These errors could lead to the following issues:
- Inadequate default settings: IoT devices may come with passwords and other settings that cannot be altered as defaults.
- Lack of upgrade options: In some cases, it is not possible to update the firmware or other data on a device, rendering it irreversibly hazardous to IoT networks.
- Misuse of technology: Organizations frequently install powerful software on IoT devices even when such computer capacity is not required.
- Some IoT makers, for instance, installed the entire Linux operating system on an IoT device when just a fraction was required. The IoT device consequently turned into a potent weapon in the hands of an attacker after it was compromised.
Five IoT security standards for consumer-facing devices are suggested by the security community:
- Must not have universal default passwords
- Software must be upgraded regularly
- Secure communication must be present
- Must ensure that personal data is secure
- A vulnerability disclosure policy must be put in place
While smart devices can offer myriad benefits, including convenience and improved functionality, they must be developed with security in mind and used responsibly to avoid introducing unnecessary cyber risk.
