Consumers Feel Less Than 10% of IoT Devices Are Secure

The Internet of Things will connect even more devices to the Internet than many thought possible. But without proper security measures, this initiative will go nowhere anytime soon. As it turns out, consumers are not all that confident in the security of IoT products.

Internet of Things Faces Consumer Doubts

Convenience has often trumped security for most consumers, but that situation is coming to change. Given the recent increase in a number of data breaches and hacking attempts, the Internet of Things is facing scrutiny all of a sudden. Consumers don’t want their data to be stolen when their coffee machine is hacked.

A survey conducted by IOActive paints a clear picture of why consumers are not too hot on IoT just yet. Close to half of the respondents indicate they are not comfortable with the security measures put in place for their devices. In fact, they feel less than 10% of Internet of Things devices will have security built in.

On the other hand, nearly three in four participants feel the implementing proper security measures will be the biggest challenge for IoT security going forward. It is worth noting that just connecting a device to the Internet is great, but it leaves the door wide open for assailants and hackers. These issues need to be prevented rather than remedied.

The survey yielded some other interesting results, as half of the devices were found to be secure, yet 63% of all respondents indicate these security standards are better compared to other categories. Most of the participants feel that companies should take regulatory action against hacking attempts, rather than announcing vulnerabilities. Quite a surprising response, as regulatory efforts will do virtually nothing to keep hackers out of your IoT device.

Given the growing competition in the Internet of Things field, companies seem more concerned about presenting their product rather than worry about security. Not only is this the backward approach, but it is also far more costly to worry about security later. Additionally, it will not instill trust from customers by any means.

Source: IOActive

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