Smart devices, smart homes, smart cities – what is the vision of a technological future?
Will the newly built agglomerations actually operate on the basis of millions of sensors?
This is somewhat the assumption of the development of the internet of things. However, can simple users do it for good? About it below.
Convenient
Internet of Things technology is a concept according to which various objects can be connected to a computer network (here the Internet) and collect, process, send data, and act on the basis of their analysis.
IoT is gaining more and more support and is being used by more and more producers of new technologies.
This assumption can cover many aspects of life, from home appliances (electronics and household appliances), lighting, building management systems, to intelligent enterprises, cities, packed with electronic sensors.
The Internet of Things has almost no limits anymore, it is used e.g. in health care, energy, environmental activities.
The Most Important is Data, Not the Device
The proper concept of the Internet of Things is not, however, that the device is connected to the network. The most important thing is what it does with the collected information.
How and for what purpose they are processed by smart devices, sensors or their entire systems. The Internet of Things, according to the assumption, is to work useful for humanity, for the benefit of users.
That is why public spaces, homes, and offices are filled with intelligent technologies connected to the network.
According to estimates made by International Data Corporation, the number of devices belonging to the Internet of Things is expected to reach as much as 30 billion.
However, this value varies considerably depending on the research company conducting the research.
First of all, Practical Application
The Internet of things certainly gives many possibilities – it makes life easier by introducing some kind of convenience related to the easy operation of smart devices and their practical use.
The concept can also be used on a much larger scale, e.g. in Los Angeles, sensors located in the city are used to analyze traffic, control traffic lights, and thus – unload traffic.
When the Shared Data can be a Threat
An important feature, or rather the property of the Internet of Things, is that you cannot disconnect it from the concept of data, because it is legitimate only on its basis.
Here, however, the greatest threat appears. IoT, which processes hundreds of Zettabytes of information, can become one of the biggest technological threats by inappropriate use or lack of security.
In the era of introducing the Internet of Things into almost every area of life, data processed by smart devices can relate to personal life, company, office, organization or even entire urban communities.
Autonomous smart devices analyze huge amounts of information, but their operation often depends on the user. Is it the same with IoT security?
Users often do not even know what information they provide about themselves via smart devices. This applies to both technologies used in private and public spaces.
Taking control of this type of new solutions for cybercriminals is not even a challenge, because they largely do not have adequate security, and the data obtained is not protected. – says Robert Dziemianko from G DATA, a producer of anti-virus software.
Deliberate Use, Deliberate Security
Network protection should become a priority for the Internet of Things. After all, these are devices that often have access to the most private information, medical records or even those responsible for road safety, as in Los Angeles.
The takeover of control by cybercriminals over IoT systems gives them many opportunities, including remote control of devices.
How to protect data processed by IoT technology? The most important thing is to use an appropriate network security engineer, whether it’s a private or public connection.
The second step is to use all the security features available on the device, such as passwords, access codes, authorization requirements via SMS or mail, etc.
The last thing the user should do is to properly configure the equipment so that the created IoT space does not become a data trap, and technologies they served what they should have done.
As the statistics cited above show, the Internet of Things will soon master the lives of each of the network users. Therefore, it is better now to become acquainted with how to use the new subject technologies in a responsible and non-threatening manner.
Underestimating the protection of IoT spaces is deliberate neglect, especially at a time when technology absorbs users and enters the most private living zones.