How many connected devices have you added to your household since March 2020? Be sure to count fitness trackers, speakers, gaming machines and even your Tesla, if there’s one in your driveway. Were you one of the many people who waited months for a Peloton? Don’t overlook your new bike. Now add in all your voice-based assistants, such as Google Home and Alexa. One more thing: don’t forget to check in your kids’ rooms. These might make a difference to your employer’s IoT security.
In the pandemic, many people purchased new connected devices for their personal entertainment and to make daily life easier. Ordr’s report Rise of the Machines 2021: State of Connected devices —IT, IoT, IoMT and OT found that there were two times more personal devices this year than in 2020.
IoT Security From Home to Work
Those devices have an impact on cybersecurity. Yes, most companies have a policy that employees aren’t supposed to connect personal internet of things (IoT) devices to the work network. But that doesn’t stop everyone. The Ordr report discovered that many businesses have unauthorized personal devices connected to their network (referred to as shadow devices) at any given time. This isn’t referring to legitimate bring your own device (BYOD) cases, like using your personal phone for work, but instead devices connected to the internet without a business purpose. (BYOD security should also be on your mind, but it’s not exactly the same as these unintended connections.)
