The Internet-of-things (Iot) is a technological advancement that can afford users a great deal of convenience. It enables remote-access features that can attract purchasers to decide on a particular make or model of smart gadgets; such as home security systems, baby monitors, smart locks, smart lighting, smart thermostat and all other Wifi enabled devices. However, the same feature can also make your home and everything stored in your smartphone, vulnerable to privacy invasion and/or man-in the-middle attacks.
Man-in-the-middle attack is a form of cybercrime that permits an unauthorized party to eavesdrop, monitor, modify, and replace critical information exchanged by users through their Wifi-connected smart gadgets and devices.
What is Iot and How Does it Work
Internet-of-things is an arrangement between physical devices with smart capabilities that allows them to connect and communicate by way of sensors and software or smart application. The convenience afforded to users is that it permits remote access as long the related devices are Wi-fi enabled. Although this feature is touted as one that gives users peace of mind since they can check on their smart homes or smart cars while away, the scenario is not always as simple and secure.
For a user to have remote access and control to a smart device, the sensors, the application and the Wifi connection work toward the integration of data into computer systems. A gadget as simple as a baby monitoring device may be touted as the best baby monitor ever because of its remote access feature. Parents will be convinced that they can have peace of mind in case they need to leave their baby to the care of a babysitter.
The remote access feature will likely be of great appeal to couples who spend long hours away from home in light of their jobs or businesses. Once cyber criminals get wind of their activities and lifestyle, they also become the most vulnerable, More so, if hackers can gain access to their other smart gadget applications that can furnish additional, useful information through the Internet-of-things.
Still, the Internet of things is not as corruptible as it may seem as there are safeguards that protect Internet communications. Vulnerability to hacking is something that happens if network-related built-in security features have been breached.
Modern Wifi routers for one, come with a Network Address Translation system that is capable of filtering out unauthorized or dubious incoming traffic. Vulnerability happens if somebody physically tampered with the default option, which may permit port forwarding without detecting and addressing breaches.
Another security feature that can prevent Iot breaches is a strong Wifi network password, which some Internet users tend to overlook.