Internet of Unsecure Things
How do cybercriminals use the Internet of Things against us? While IoT can improve our lives with convenience and connectedness, it also poses security risks like:
- Botnets (an army of compromised devices)
- Espionage (e.g. hijacking the camera/microphone of an internet-connected device)
- Physical destruction (e.g. hacking a device to overrule safety measures of machinery)
- Mortal danger (physical destruction could be fatal, as well compromised cardiac devices)
How can you secure your smart devices?
- Update default passwords that come with devices.
- Enable automatic updates to get immediate security patches.
- Edit default privacy settings to lock down your data.
- Disable unnecessary features.
- Research products and purchase devices built with security in mind.