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May 5, 2017

Many companies are focusing on the future of IoT products and services, but there are challenges and concerns that need to be addressed as the number of connected devices continues to rise.

One of the biggest challenges is security. Increasing the number of connected devices drastically increases the opportunities for breaches. Devices that are always connected to the internet need to be secure. A poorly designed IoT product can expose private data and leak important information into the wrong hands.  

In last month’s IEEE IoT newsletter, Ahmed Banafa, an IoT expert and faculty member of both San Jose State University and Northwestern Polytechnic University, explained, “The hacking of baby monitors, smart fridges, thermostats, drug infusion pumps, cameras and even the radio in your car are signifying a security nightmare being caused by the future of IoT. So many new nodes being added to networks and the internet will provide malicious actors with innumerable attack vectors and possibilities to carry out their evil deeds, especially since a considerable number of them suffer from security holes.”

Another large concern alongside security with IoT products is privacy. Data privacy is a very real consideration when IoT devices are constantly tracking our every move and listening to our conversations. When we allow IoT devices into our homes or cars, we offer up our data for collection. How this data is used and stored is a big concern for the future of IoT. Banafa goes on to explain, ”strategies will need to be developed to respect individual privacy choices across a broad spectrum of expectations, while still fostering innovation in new technologies and services.”

For More Information

Read more about Three Major Challenges Facing IoT

Three Major Challenges Facing IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) — a universe of connected things providing key physical data and further processing of that data in the [...]

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