Internet of Things based technology erupted into popularity mainly during the pandemic and is only accelerating in adoption to this day. Some figures project the IoT market to grow to around 1.6 trillion by 2025. In a decade or so, smart home security will be many more people’s business.
Being a relatively young technology, many IoT devices may be susceptible to vulnerabilities and loopholes yet unknown or unaddressed by the manufacturer. This is the reality of it.
To get two things straight right off the bat.
First, often the most common way to hack Internet of Things based systems and household surveillance is by direct targeting. The likelihood that a skilled hacker with the education and dedication to specifically target your house is low.
That is not to say that it doesn’t happen. At the hands of tech-savvy criminal network perhaps.
Second, if a skilled hacker is hell-bent on targeting your home specifically, they can find a way in, and your best bet is to make the task both more difficult and less rewarding if successful.
In the event of an attack, the motives are usually targeted DDoSing for ransoming data, surveillance for robbery when the owner is not home, or installing crypto mining software to mine off your electric grid.
Here are some ways to strengthen your defenses:
Store your data internally. Memory cards with around 150 GB of memory can store your camera footage and overwrite old videos to make room for new ones. for your cameras to feed into assures the footage is stored behind closed doors.
Change your router name. Don’t use your name or family name as the router name, and it is often advised to change the default name as it contains the manufacturer and model. This is information that a hacker can use.
Toughen your password. It always comes back to this. If your password is “password,” you are essentially leaving the house key under the doormat. Get creative, and use a *P@$$Wordz_L1k3 tH!$*. Not that one though.
Invest in the latest security software and firewalls. It may be pricier, but if you believe your house may be targeted for whatever reason, it is a worthwhile investment.
Use guest networks. Pretty much all modern routers can host a secondary network, or guest network. Use that for your home devices and separate it from the rest of your electronics. Better to compromise the smart fridge than your work laptop.
Disable features when not in use. Many Internet of Things devices have features like remote activation and voice recognition. If you are worried about these devices being used to spy on you or gain access from afar, disable them from the devise itself.
Talk less. The good-old street smarts; Don’t say what you don’t need to say. In other words, don’t brag to your pub mates about your shiny new home security system. Don’t tell your mutual friend’s mutual friend about your crypto wallet and how much you made trading.
If you follow these steps, you greatly decrease your chance of a breach from any source and avoid the worst in case of one. Then nobody can use your smart fridge to murder you.
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Adnan Kayyali
Adnan Kayyali
Junior social media strategist with a degree in media and communication. Technology enthusiast and freelance writer. Favorite hobby: 3D modeling.ADVERTISEMENT
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IOTTelefónica Tech, Siemens collaborate on smart buildings infrastructureInside Telecom StaffPublished 2 weeks ago on Monday, 17 May 2021By Inside Telecom Staff smart buildings
Spanish telecoms giant Telefónica announced last week that it’s teaming up with Siemens España to deliver a combination of services and solutions tailored toward smart buildings and cities.
Both companies will join to present a far-reaching value proposition that includes everything from energy efficiency and user experience to connectivity, security, and data analysis at a national level.
Taking part in the deal will be Telefónica Tech, which is the telco’s arm in digital businesses with high growth potential in IoT, Big Data, Blockchain, Cybersecurity and Cloud.
According to a joint statement, the collaboration agreement will enable both companies to present a joint value proposition that includes solutions for increasing physical security, monitoring and operational and energy efficiency, as well as user experience and the digitalization of services, where connectivity plays a leading role.
Similarly, they will offer an infrastructure that facilitates data collection and analysis to turn data into useful information for making better decisions.
The experience and knowledge of both companies will also allow them to include other joint solutions related to optimization such as smart lighting, environmental monitoring, predictive maintenance, de-escalation monitoring, smart parking, occupancy, and capacity management such as audiovisual and space reservation solutions.
Additionally, Siemens and Telefónica Tech will offer comprehensive solutions that protect buildings from fires and monitor entry points and potential intrusions with closed-circuit television (CCTV), including the possibility of analyzing these videos, among other things.
With that in mind, both companies are crafting a complete portfolio for smart buildings, where technology helps companies to achieve their sustainability goals through different solutions that help to optimize resources or reduce their environmental impact.
“The potential of uniting two portfolios with a clear focus on achieving communication, security and energy efficiency creates major opportunities for improving buildings and preparing them for the future”, explains Fernando Silva, director of Siemens Smart Infrastructure for Spain and Portugal.
He also comments that “we are combining Telefónica’s expertise in communications with Siemens expertise in smart electric networks and building automation to enable us to implement a comprehensive solution for the buildings of any private or public body.”
Buildings are responsible for 36 percent of world energy consumption and 39 percent of greenhouse gas emissions during their life cycle. Businesses are now more conscious than ever of the importance of sustainability and the economic benefits it brings.
“Smart buildings interact with the people, systems and external elements surrounding them. They learn from past experiences and real-time inputs. They adapt to the needs of the people and the businesses within them by increasing comfort, efficiency, resilience, and security,” the statement read.
The combination of the communication, physical security, and connectivity capabilities of Telefónica and Siemens solutions will be able to make all types of buildings smarter, from hospitals to corporate offices, as well as shopping centers or industrial facilities.
Telefónica Tech, on the other hand, offers specific solutions for Smart Cities that, through the implementation of IoT, Big Data and other technologies, enable it to obtain fundamental information for protecting the environment and detecting anomalies, such as in water consumption, street lighting and HVAC systems.
“This agreement with Siemens demonstrates Telefónica Tech’s potential as an integrator of solutions based on connectivity (in this agreement we offer our specialist knowledge in connectivity, physical security, IoT and Big Data) and provider of digital transformation for companies in their plans to become more sustainable organizations. Together we will make smart buildings even more advanced to promote, at the same time, energy efficiency and contribute to improving people’s lives”, explains Elena Gil, Global Director of IoT and Big Data Products and Business Operations at Telefónica Tech.
CONTINUE READINGIOTVerizon Business takes IoT Connectivity Global to 170 countriesKarim HusamiPublished 3 weeks ago on Friday, 7 May 2021By Karim HusamiIoT connectivity
U.S.-based Verizon said enterprises can benefit from global Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity in 170 countries worldwide, with permanent roaming options in North America and Western Europe all on a single SIM.
This global coverage enables organizations to manage a vast array of IoT devices including asset trackers, industrial gateways and sensors via ThingSpace, Verizon’s self-service IoT platform.
The operator’s ThingSpace solution aims to provide all the tools needed to prototype, test, connect and manage IoT devices on Verizon’s network.
Changes the way businesses work
Tami Erwin, CEO at Verizon Business, said: “The IoT connectivity is changing the way businesses monitor devices and increasing the strategic business value of the data collected.”
The number of IoT devices is growing exponentially, he noted, and organizations prefer to align with a trusted technology partner who can offer the technical expertise and geo-scale they require.
“Our global IoT connectivity services are all underpinned by Verizon’s years of expertise and industry-leading ThingSpace platform, not to mention a path to evolving into 5G Massive IoT,” Erwin added.
Permanent roaming options are now available across North America and Western Europe all on a single SIM—providing enterprises with the flexibility they need to monitor a wide array of IoT devices.
152,200 IoT devices
In addition, IDC, the premium global market intelligence firm, estimates that around 152,200 IoT devices will connect every minute by 2025, while enterprises can deploy IoT devices with permanent roaming across the UK, Canada, and over 10 European markets.
Verizon’s IoT device connectivity operates via a best of breed partner ecosystem and is available globally to US multinational companies with fixed or mobile connectivity requirements. Organizations can deploy devices with permanent roaming across Canada, the UK and more than 10 European markets.
Erwin said during Verizon’s March investment day that it’s starting to see the benefit of industrial IoT investments, adding 10 million incremental machine-to-machine LTE connected devices in 2020 and delivering double-digit connections and revenue growth.
This year, Verizon expects to see continued growth as it scales its IoT practice and installs devices supporting the evolution from 4G to 5G.
With the pandemic, Verizon is seeing unique demand in areas like DIY connected alarm systems and cross-border asset tracking, a representative said. Over the next few years, analysts at IDC estimate that 150,000+ IoT devices will connect every minute.
A big motivator for Verizon in the global IoT sector appears to be rival AT&T, which spent years developing its IoT connectivity business and has offered global IoT services for a long time, including with many major car companies.
CONTINUE READINGIOTBlackBerry looks to bolster its cybersecurity and IoT divisionsInside Telecom StaffPublished 1 month ago on Wednesday, 28 April 2021By Inside Telecom Staff BlackBerry
Canada-based tech company BlackBerry plans to bolster its offerings by putting its weight behind two main business units, cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things (IoT), in a bid to further align operations and go-to-market efforts to its key market opportunities.
The move follows the company’s previous announcement to separately report revenues of its operating business units in the new fiscal year, BlackBerry said in a statement.
The software maker’s new focus will include the appointment of business unit general managers with deep industry expertise to provide direction to strategy, engineering, direct and channel sales, customer support and field marketing.
With that in mind, BlackBerry has promoted President Tom Eacobacci to BlackBerry President and Chief Operating Officer. Eacobacci will also serve as Acting General Manager of the Cyber Security business unit, which combines BlackBerry Spark together with the company’s critical event management and secure communications solutions.
“BlackBerry is delivering the next generation of cloud-based, AI cybersecurity solutions to address today’s and tomorrow’s cybersecurity threats and ensure organizations of all sizes remain safe, secure and productive,” Eacobacci said in a statement.
Eacobacci, who brings deep expertise in enterprise software, will continue to drive the company’s growth in the highly attractive cybersecurity market where BlackBerry technology, driven by Cylance AI, has unique competitive differentiation.
BlackBerry is also announcing the appointment of Mattias Eriksson as President and General Manager of the newly formed BlackBerry IoT business unit. The business unit consists of BlackBerry Technology Solutions or BTS (BlackBerry QNX, BlackBerry Certicom, BlackBerry Radar and BlackBerry Jarvis) and BlackBerry IVY.
“BlackBerry is a leader in the IoT and embedded software systems market with its software installed in an impressive number of endpoints. BlackBerry is poised to extend this position by accelerating the adoption of emerging automotive connected services with the BlackBerry IVY platform, as well as by targeting other related industries,” Eriksson noted.
Eriksson will be responsible for driving IoT platform strategy and operations and will join BlackBerry in the first week of May.
“Cybersecurity and IoT are recognized high-growth markets where BlackBerry can add tremendous value. BlackBerry is applying its world-class security expertise to address the needs of these markets,” Executive Chairman and CEO John Chen said.
“The promotion of Tom, addition of Mattias, and the alignment of our business around our key market opportunities sharpens our operational focus to unlock the company’s shareholder value,” Chen added.
