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The dangers of hyper-connected objects

8/03/18

In the midst of digital transformation, the Internet of Things is a reality that is silently gaining more and more space in homes. From VU, we offer tips to take advantage of the benefits of hyperconnected equipment and protect ourselves from its dangers.
Reading time: 2 minutes

In the midst of a digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT) is not just another term that describes the technology that connects objects and devices to the web to obtain additional information. It is a reality that is quietly gaining more and more place in homes. In addition to Smart TVs, air conditioners, printers, refrigerators and clocks, IoT includes: security systems such as cameras and monitors for daycare centers, medical devices such as pacemakers or insulin dispensers, thermostats, wearable devices (usually sports), home entertainment devices and fuel monitoring systems. As well as the very fashionable voice-activated personal assistants such as Google Home, Alexa or Home Pod.

The global trend, according to a Gartner study, indicates that by 2020, there will be four times more devices connected to the web than people. It is estimated that, by then, there will be more than 20 billion connected objects, which implies a 238% increase in the number of devices that can be hacked.

A few examples help to understand the seriousness of the issue. In 2016, American Marie Moe came out of surgery with a pacemaker that doctors failed to tell her had a wireless connection to the network without any security settings, making it vulnerable to cyber attacks. What would have happened if someone hacked into the device that kept her alive?

Voice personal assistants can operate locks, alarms, fire control systems and lights among others. It has been proven that they can be operated from outside the house, thanks to the excellent microphones installed in them. This type of situation can be prevented by incorporating cybersecurity solutions that identify authorized users, either by their biometric voice patterns or by integration with CCTV systems and facial recognition.

Ignorance on the part of consumers, on the one hand, and difficulties in resolving vulnerabilities on the part of vendors, on the other, create opportunities for cybercriminals to exploit these weaknesses in a variety of ways.

The main risks of IoT include:

  • Use Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocol to remotely log in, reconfigure and take over devices without authentication.
  • Use default passwords to send mailware or spam, or steal personal or credit card information.
  • Compromise the IoT device to cause physical harm.
  • Overload the devices until they become inoperable.
  • Interfering with business transactions.
  • Deployment of insecure services over HTTP or MQTT.

In order to avoid a downside, we must have a strategy and action plan in the area of cybersecurity.

To this end, some of the measures to be taken into account are:

  • Modify default passwords on web-connected devices with strong passwords.
  • Connect sensors and measuring devices in separate networks to data exchange networks.
  • Check for updates for each device.
  • Monitor device usage, consumption and data traffic.
  • Conduct a quarterly security review by a third party.

Today's technology has the potential to turn against us. Is any resemblance to the Terminator's Skynet a coincidence? To prevent this from happening, the most important thing is to take the appropriate precautions. There is no need to fear, just be cautious.

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