WASHINGTON — Technology and devices that allow homeowners to remotely control everything from door locks to interior lights may pose a security risk.
“You buy them. You plug them in. They work. It’s awesome,” says Ken Colburn, of the Data Doctors. “The problem is, they’re not necessarily secured. And a lot of people, once they get something working, they don’t worry about security.”
Hackers might be able to exploit something as innocent as a gaming system or programmable thermostat because, Colburn says, the remote household control industry is fairly new and devices might not have the best security.
“We don’t know what the implications are — the unintended consequences of putting a device in that you think is benign but ends up being a gateway into your critical data,” Colburn warns.
Hacker-repelling advice includes making sure you have a well-secured home network with good firewalls. You should also change your device passwords to be at least 15 characters long — Colburn says that should now be your password standard.
Protective technology is beginning to catch up to what is being referred to as IOT — the Internet of Things.
There’s a Kickstarter campaign underway, for example, for a product called CUJO that aims to become a security blanket for the Internet of Things. Colburn predicts similar products won’t be far behind.
