As soon as smartphones became a staple of modern-day life, the rise of Internet of Things (IoT) devices became inevitable. The ability to collect useful data and control multiple devices through your phone have allowed people to exercise greater control over their devices, opening opportunities for optimisation and greater convenience.
IoT devices come in many forms and in many degrees of complexity. Some IoT devices can be as simple as having the ability to schedule when your lights go on and off at home. Wearables such as smart watches are more complex, with some devices such as the Apple Watch able to record your physical activity, track your heart rate, and sync it to an app on your phone.
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IoT devices also enable location-based marketing, where marketers can send relevant messages, offers, or promotions to customers when they are near a physical store or location, increasing the chances of in-store visits and purchases.
In many ways, IoT devices have greatly improved our daily lives by making it easier to make data-driven decisions in various applications. However, one pressing concern that people have with IoT devices is the security risk that often comes with them.
Many IoT devices collect a wealth of data about users’ habits and preferences, allowing greater personalisation in their device usage. Unfortunately, this data is also highly attractive to hackers.
At first glance, the data gathered from IoT devices might seem innocuous. After all, of what use would anyone have of your AC temperature settings, or how many steps you walk in a day?
The answer lies in what cybersecurity experts call “attack surface” and the potential for data aggregation. While individual data points collected from IoT devices may seem innocuous, hackers and cybercriminals are often interested in the aggregate data and the broader context it provides.
Communications professionals, particularly those involved in marketing and public relations, need to be aware of the privacy implications and ethical considerations associated with this data.
Mishandling or breaches of data collected by organisations can lead to significant public backlash and reputational damage for the organisations they represent. Due to the nature of IoT devices, the vulnerabilities can lie in places least expected.
In 2019, popular video doorbell manufacturer Ring faced security concerns when multiple reports of hackers gaining access to Ring cameras surfaced. Hackers used weak passwords and reused credentials stolen from other data breaches to access these cameras, which were installed in people’s homes.
Even vehicles are not immune to IoT security concerns. In 2015, researchers remotely hacked into a Jeep Cherokee’s entertainment system, leading to a recall of 1.4 million vehicles.
Simply put, the more data gathered, the bigger the potential harm.
The security challenges that come with IOT are the result of several factors. For one, the landscape is highly fragmented, with various manufacturers and developers creating devices that often lack standardised security protocols.
In an article from Cybernews, industry experts likened IoT standardisation to the adoption of English as the standard language to be used for aviation. While it may have been unfair for non-native English speakers around the world, a common language was needed to ensure clear communications in the air.
Despite being a clear vulnerability, Head of Marketing Tech Charles Chow said IoT devices are unlikely to achieve standardisation anytime soon.
“IoT encompasses everything from smart devices for the home to industrial and logistics integrations. Many industries have individual technology standards, which make creating global standards difficult. Equally, superpowers like Russia, China, and the US will all want their standards to become the global default,” Chow said.
However, given the significant hurdles in standardisation, ensuring that user data is handled securely and in compliance with privacy regulations is an ongoing challenge.
Despite the lack of a uniform industry-wide effort to make IoT devices more secure, efforts coming from end users go a long way in reducing their vulnerabilities.
According to a report by cybsecurity researcher Glorin Sebastian, 88% of all data breaches are caused by human error. Therefore, it’s crucial to always change the default usernames and passwords on your devices. Ensure that your passwords are strong and unique passwords for each device. Better yet, activate multifactor access using apps like Google Authenticator.
It’s also critical to keep your devices’ firmware and software up to date. Manufacturers often release security patches, so make sure you install them promptly.
Whenever possible, IT experts also recommend isolating IoT devices from your primary network. Create a separate network for your smart devices to minimize the potential impact of a breach.
Finally, it’s best to be aware of your devices’ Privacy Settings. Make it a point to thoroughly review and adjust privacy settings on your devices. Ensure that you understand what data is being collected and how it is used.
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