But as innocuous as it all seems on the surface, does a darker reality exist beneath the surface?
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Its a serious topic that deserves serious attention.
According to Rambus, an estimated80 percent of IoT devicesare vulnerable to a wide range of cyber attacks.
Think of it like a line of dominos.
Once one unit is tripped, the rest can easily be knocked down as well.
unit hijacking is one common method.
These attacks are quite difficult to detect because the attacker does not change the basic functionality of the equipment.
Moreover, it only takes one machine to potentially re-infect all smart devices in the home, Rambus explains.
These devices respond to cue words, like Hey, Google or Alexa.
to pick up these cue words, the devices must always be listening.
Is it worth the risk?
Stories like this one, from a Portland woman named Danielle, raise a lot of questions.
As devices become more functional,the unintended consequenceswill presumably increase.
For example, many newer ovens can actually be turned on remotely via a connected app.
But what happens when nobody is home to check on the oven after its been turned on?
What if a child placed a toy in the oven and it suddenly combusts?
Could smart ovens increase the risk of house fires?
Hypothetical situations like these might not be entirely likely, but theyre worth addressing.
In fact, the unintended consequences may be the most dangerous.
Homeowners dont know to look for them, so theyll never see them coming.
Finding the Appropriate Balance
Smart home technology isnt evil and its also here to stay.
So the issue isnt whether to ban devices or create tech-free bubbles.
Instead, the challenge is finding the appropriate balance between technological convenience and security/privacy.
At this point in time, it isnt clear what the appropriate balance is.
There certainly needs to be greater transparency from the manufacturers and service providers on the unit side of things.
Greater accountability is also a necessity.
