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Electronics

How secure is “Smart”

There is much hype in the electronics world regarding Smart technology and the IoT. The vast majority own a smartphone and the government has a target that by 2020 all homes will have a smart meter fitted to record gas and electricity usage. We are already hearing about developments in smart security and in smart heating control systems.

In consumer electronics there are already smart televisions and much is being said about the connected home. From your smartphone you will be able to turn lights on, control your heating system and much more. The big question is how safe and secure is this technology.

The recent revelation from Edward Snowden that smartphones can be taken over by security services such as GCHQ without the owner realising is a worrying development that will have an impact on the IoT and the connected home.

Do consumers want the government controlling their lives knowing every movement that they make? Do consumers want device manufacturers controlling the temperature of their heating system or the temperature of their fridge? Of course not, we are humans and not robots.

The whole concept of the connected home and the IoT has much to offer the consumer, however until the issues around security are addresses the vast majority of consumers will be concerned about this technology and will not embrace it.