“The Internet of things (IoT) refers to the sensors and data-communication technology that is built into physical objects that enables them to be tracked and controlled over the Internet” (Education, 2018).
The expansion of control over numerous physical devices through the internet has pros and cons. The ability to turn on the lights, order dinner, find out the weather and turn on the air conditioning just by voicing the command has obvious benefits. The benefit for society that I can see is especially as our baby boomer number increases is the convenience of daily, simple task, that we take for granted may be difficult as we age or if you have a disability. It also keeps costs down by monitoring energy efficiency and maintaining optimal settings for the running of your home. Also, my hope is that by eliminating some tasks from your daily routine, the ability to spend more time with family and in recreation might lead to healthier, better balanced people. Certainly, one of the main cons of IoT lies where security is concerned. Our advances in technology have grown so rapidly, but the protection of the private information the internet holds, continues to be an issue that we have yet been able to gain complete control. While we are able to get our banking account balance, get a reminder for someone’s birthday and unlock our doors, there are people out there that are trying to get all that information to steal money, identity or gain access to your home and rob you. Many people consider it a convenience but criminals consider it a way into your private information.
“For home users, vulnerable IoT devices can also be an entry point for attackers to reach and tamper with an entire AI-connected smart home system and network” (Thompson, 2018).
Cybersecurity is in the news every day and is something that is of great importance when it comes to the internet of things. While the convenience of these devices in our everyday lives is an incontrovertible fact, the danger to our physical and private information security is also a fact. We need to focus on security for the future of these devices to continue being a helpful tool and not a tool that helps criminals get the advantage.
References:
Education, P. (1/2018). MGT 608 – Managerial Support Systems (2018) [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from vbk://9781323829110
Thompson, Hilary (April 10, 2018). IoT device pairing raises privacy concerns for home AI. Retrieved from: https://venturebeat.com/2018/04/10/iot-device-pairing-raises-privacy-concerns-for-home-ai/
