None of this comes as a great surprise; security is one of the big issues facing design engineers. The connected nature of IoT products can unintentionally open doors to other systems, data, and devices; and so called ‘home automation’ is potentially one of the more ‘leaky’ areas. The problem is exacerbated by engineers trying to retrofit connectivity into products not designed with security in mind.
The first survey, by IOActive, found that 47% of respondents believed that fewer than 10% of all IoT products on the market are designed with adequate security.
IOActive’s survey found that 72% of respondents believe not designing adequate security into products is the ‘single biggest challenge’. So, what to do?
Many respondents believe some form of regulatory action would be more effective. But how can you regulate such a nebulous thing as the IoT? One of the first problems would be to actually define it.
Better for all designers to think about security from day one of their new designs.
