IoT devices are proliferating and are continuously tracking data to improve customer UX. This has raised privacy concerns and developers are thinking how to strike a balance?
The internet of things (IoT), has changed the way we perceive technology and the way we use technology. Even though it has made technology easier than ever, it does come with its own set of problems. IoT being an interconnected network, the main threat is security and privacy problems. But by understanding how our privacy and security will be affected, we can take the right measures to reduce our vulnerability to these threats.
The interconnected world
Since IoT devices come with several technical capabilities, IoT connectivity is available in a growing number of devices and equipment. Smartphones can connect to the internet and to several household appliances, which also allows people to control these items remotely. Transportation departments have rolled out more advanced vehicle-to-vehicle communication, focusing on improving driver and passenger safety on the road. SmartGrid for electricity, Smart Home technologies for appliances and home security systems and use fitness trackers to control their movement as monitor their eating and sleeping habits are some examples. These become smarter when these trackers are connected to their smartphones for better data aggregation.
The biggest security challenge starts with these data. Are we compromising our privacy and security when devices collect so much data and do data tracking?
How IoT Affects Privacy?
When people buy these devices, they lose of control over personal information, and this data is tracked and saved by the manufacturer in a bid to improve user experience. Our smartphones carry a majority of our information and it is linked to our bank accounts, email accounts, and even systems that need authorization. With devices proliferating there would be more connections and hackers employ methods that are undetected.
The data gives an option to hackers a detailed look into their activities, including internet searches and purchasing power. The information is typically used to work on user experience, but also can be used for targeted marketing to individuals. At times, this data is even sold to other organizations that are looking for targeted advertising to specific audiences.
How to protect data?
Since personal data is a must for User experience, IoT vendors, therefore, should have dedicated compliance and privacy rules that alter and anonymize personal data before it is stored. This process should prevent the data from being able to identify it as an individual. Cached data and data that is no longer needed should be disposed of in a secure and organized manner.
Stored data also must meet compliance with legal and regulatory mandates. This can be extended to mobile devices, web presence, cloud applications and any other means by which the data from IoT devices are accessed and managed. Check with a cloud security provider for the latest security options.
How a Managed service provider can help?
The challenge among IoT developers is the ability to provide enough security for their services. Limited budgets and manpower constraints is another difficulty for establishments to address privacy and security concerns. Usually, manufacturers focus solely on getting the app out into the market to attract funding without considering the damage that could follow. So, organizations can seek the help of cloud security experts for dealing with data breaches.
A security expert can set practices to monitor the data collections with compliance to regulations from the onset and ongoing. So with these security adaptations, IoT developers can strike a balance between data security /privacy and user experience
