With so many households across the world embracing modern technology our day-to-day lives are just getting easier and easier but are we putting ourselves at an increased risk of cyber crime with our interconnected tech?

The Internet of Things is prevalent in almost every household in the developed world. We are talking about smart speakers that remind you about your dental appointment. Phones that connect to a heating app to control your home’s temperature, cars that play the music on your tablet and even kettles that can be set to boil when you’re in another country. Our interconnected technology, tech that talks to each other, is an incredible thing but it is also vulnerable and here’s why.

Not so smart tech

Your phone is most definitely smart. Chances are you have something that will update its own operating systems when new versions are released to patch up any weaknesses and help detect any viruses. It’s also smart because as well as receiving data, it can send data. Not all tech is this smart. Consider a lightbulb that can be sent the right data to be able to come on at a set time but can’t send you data back letting you know how much life it has in it or what temperature it’s operating at. It’s a one-way street.

There is of course technology that is somewhere in between, such as GPS Antenna but we are talking about what’s in your home.

Attack

If you are unable to help your not so smart tech to protect itself then it is immediately open to attack. While your light bulb might not be at risk, how about your alarm system or door security system? And if your devices are all on one network, who’s to say they can’t all be hacked? Even our very smart phones aren’t completely secure and a clever hacker will be able to bypass your systems.

The best thing to keep yourself safe is to regularly update software and put in place extra security measure where need be. Change passwords regularly and keep a close eye on anything that doesn’t look or sound quite right when it come to your interconnected technology.

Don’t try and solve the issue yourself, call in the experts if you think your network has been hacked.

The Internet of Things is many things, it’s incredibly useful, it’s helpful, it’s fun and it’s breaking new ground year on year but, it has its weaknesses. Perhaps these weaknesses show themselves even more in a corporate setting but your domestic set up to needs to see maximum security to help keep your most important details safe and sound.

Take a review of where you are with your software today. Update where it’s needed and spend just a little time creating impossible to guess passwords.Make sure your phone is lockable with the highest security barriers in place. Stay vigilant and you’ll enjoy your hi-tech home without the worry that you’ll fall victim to cyber crime.