With more and more individuals and businesses using the internet to connect devices to manage their work and lives the risk of being exposed to cyber crime increases. Computers, smartphones and tablets provide risks as well as IoT devices.
IoT devices provide the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. There are a variety of things that can be considered IoT devices; security systems, wearables such as fitness devices, smart appliances and thermostats are just a few examples.
The FBI’s recent Public Service Announcement on September 10th advises companies and the general public to be aware of the threats that exist. Risks can be mitigated by doing a few things to protect yourself. The FBI suggests securing your devices with strong passwords, do not use common words or passwords containing easily obtainable personal information. It also suggests that open Wi-Fi connections are an easy targets for cyber actors. If a home network is being used it should be connected to a secured Wi-Fi router. Other suggestions are to isolate IoT devices on their own protected networks, disable UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) on routers, when available update IoT devices with security patches and consider purchasing IoT devices directly from the manufacturers who have a proven track record of offering secure devices.
Related: Exclusive: Father of the Internet Vint Cerf’s Forecast for ‘Internet of Things’; GUEST COLUMN: The Threats of the IoT Largely Overlooked at the 2015 Aspen Security Forum, By Mark Chadason
