Why Privacy Must Be Baked In To IoT Devices

A connected world is a convenient world for both work and play. Too often, however, the price of convenience is privacy. If data within the Internet of Things (IoT) is not secured properly, it puts people’s overall safety in jeopardy — and it’s not just about loss of sensitive personal data. In fact, according to UL, the even greater threat is that an attacker could take over the functionality of poorly secured devices. Imagine if someone hacked into a connected home and cranked up the heat through the IoT thermostat, took over appliances or, worst of all, gained control of medical devices, such as pacemakers and insulin pumps that could create a life-or-death scenario in the wrong hands.