70 Percent of IoT Devices are Vulnerable to Hacking

It has become a trend to connect more and more household and office devices to the internet. From a car to alarm clock, everything now can be connected to WIFI. But, are these manufacturers paying proper care and attention to security and privacy?

Well, a recent study has revealed that 70 percent of IoT (Internet of Things) devices are vulnerable to hacking.

The study released by Hewlett-Packard (HP), examined 10 common smart devices including thermostat, smart TVs, power outlets, webcams, smart hubs, sprinkler controllers, home alarms, scales, garage door openers, and door locks, and found out that each device had approximately 25 vulnerabilities.

Many of the vulnerabilities had to do with a lack of password strength and weak protection software. Eight out of 10 devices failed to require passwords strong enough to be useful, and the same amount put users at risk of having their personal information intercepted via cloud services.

HP says 70% of tested IoT devices don't encrypt Internet and local network communications, with half of their applications lacking transport encryption. For 60% of devices, manufacturers haven't ensured that software updates are downloaded in a secure manner, in some cases enabling attackers to intercept them.

Gartner predicts that by 2020, there will be a total of 26 billion IoT devices, with the companies that provide such products and services generating incremental revenue that exceeds $300 billion. HP believes many device manufacturers attempt to launch their products as quickly as possible in an effort to gain market share, but they neglect security.

The company advised manufacturers to conduct a security review of their devices and all their associated components, and implement security standards that products must meet before they go into production. They should also implement security and review processes to ensure that security is taken seriously in all the phases of the product lifecycle.