{"id":50960,"date":"2016-06-29T14:41:51","date_gmt":"2016-06-29T21:41:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=50960"},"modified":"2025-08-31T22:19:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T05:19:16","slug":"security-internet-of-things","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/security-internet-of-things\/","title":{"rendered":"What It Takes for Security in the Internet of Things"},"content":{"rendered":"

The next time you buy a car, chances are, it\u2019ll be connected to your phone. Maybe your next refrigerator, thermostat, or child\u2019s toy will be similarly integrated. And it may happen sooner than you realize: analysts believe 50 billion devices will be connected to the internet by 20201<\/sup>. But that prediction may not last. A new report by Accenture, Igniting Growth in Consumer Technology<\/a>, has found that most people are uncomfortable with IoT (Internet of Things) products, particularly due to cybersecurity concerns.<\/p>\n

The Accenture report reveals that 47 percent of consumers identified privacy and security risks as a major drawback of IoT products. Cybersecurity is certainly playing a critical role in IoT adoption, or lack thereof. According to the report, these concerns have caused 37 percent of respondents to be cautious about their use, 24 percent to delay purchasing devices, and 18 percent to stop using products they\u2019ve already bought. Let me put it this way: if you happened to ask five random strangers on the street, four of them would say they worry about IoT safety.<\/p>\n

The fact that IoT security may be lacking is, of course, bad news, but it\u2019s great to see people so well-educated on the topic. Perhaps they\u2019ve read any of the numerous stories on IoT hackings and vulnerabilities over the past year. Though there\u2019s certainly an element of sensationalism in many of these reports, the truth is, real concerns exist for IoT devices. Any omnipresent item in our living spaces, where we typically have a strong expectation of privacy, requires a high degree of trust\u2014which companies must earn by the quality and safeguards of their connected products.<\/p>\n

Some organizations have stepped up to this challenge. Others haven\u2019t. Take a previous incident with baby monitors<\/a>, reported by Forbes. A group of researchers discovered and reported vulnerabilities in a set of baby monitors (in the respective company\u2019s community forum, no less), but the manufacturer took no action. In fact, Sergey Shekyan, who discovered the security gaps, originally wanted to test the security of the device because he believed \u201ca camera cannot do all this for $40 and do it right.\u201d Unfortunately, he was correct. Cybercriminals exploited those holes in security, spying on sleeping babies via webcam.<\/p>\n

Naturally, people are right to be indignant about companies that don\u2019t take security seriously. As IoT products become more common, we as consumers have to raise our security standards. After watching this market grow, and closely monitoring the highs and lows along the way, it seems clear that there are two necessary changes to reach the era of safe IoT. First, businesses need to prioritize user safety and build secure products by incorporating security controls and privacy settings into their design; second, consumers should know best practices for purchasing and maintaining security of IoT devices.<\/p>\n

Tips to Consider Before Purchasing or Enabling an IoT Device<\/h2>\n

Here are some tips for you to consider before purchasing or enabling an IoT device:<\/p>\n