A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. This is also true in the world of security. This year, we tracked a growing threat trend — that when just one device in a home or small business (usually the router) is compromised, then the rest of the devices on the network become easy to compromise. With connected devices — known as the internet of things — growing faster than any device category in history, it’s increasingly difficult to buy appliances and home goods that do not have a connection to the internet.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is reshaping every industry from manufacturing to medicine, and opportunities to transform business are nearly limitless. And while IoT is a complicated endeavor requiring multiple partners, skillsets, and technologies, new innovations are making projects easier to deploy, more secure, and more intelligent than ever.
After a long day at work, you’re heading home. You open an app in your smartphone and tap a button on the screen. A dozen miles away, your apartment comes to life. Smart bulbs light up, the smart thermostat starts to heat the room, the smart kettle begins to boil the water for your evening tea. A smart home seems so convenient!
This holiday season, you can count on just about everyone to shop smart, and I mean that in both senses of the phrase. Everybody wants to get the best deals and the most bang for their buck, yes, but I’m also talking about the internet of things, those smart devices of every form and function that currently dominate the holiday catalogs of Walmart, Target, and every other big-box department store. With Amazon launching a whole new line of Alexa products, including a digital assistant for your car, a voice-controlled microwave, and even a “smart plug,” we can now fill our homes with enough gizmos and gadgets that we’re beginning to resemble The Jetsons.
