IoT And Home Security
In a world where everything is “connected” it is a sign that very soon with the help of smart devices we will have coffee ready for us before we are even ready, dinner getting warmed up just on time, the garage opening itself when your car appears and air temperatures getting fixed before you even arrive home. All these are smart technologies which proves that the future we imagined growing up to is not too far ahead, but having so many advanced smart technologies around us just raises the question “Are we safe?!”
Internet of Things (IoT) is a giant network of all physical objects that are embedded with sensors, software and any machine that can transfer data over a network without the need of human attention. IoT consists of smart devices and with the help of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning it can help achieve home automation and which can be a great deal because the world is advancing so rapidly. Time seems to be a big factor but having control over your life not only helps you on the short but also the long run; you may ask “What’s the need of having a smart home?”. Well, for a number of reasons like, having control and being able to monitor your home even when you are away, cost and energy saving by letting the system take care of its own which means the system will detect what is not being used and automatically shuts it down to reduce power consumption, leading an Eco-friendly environment and mostly comfort of life.
“What about the radiation emitted from these IoT devices”, However, the answer is pretty simple, most radiation we are exposed to is harmless to us because ionizing radiation (UV radiation) which is harmful to us and can cause permanent damage starts at 2.4 million GHz and smart home technologies emit radiation up to 2.4GHz. So as for radiation being the factor, it is not scientifically proven that smart home technologies can be harmful to us and so we are safe.
There are very few regulations applied to smart IoT devices, for instance, a fridge or a microwave is only tested to see if these devices are electrically safe and energy efficient, but what about protecting your privacy. Since everything is connected to a network it is vulnerable to hackers that want to gain access into your homes. Home security is the most crucial part in having a successful smart home. Security is a big concern specially in this time of life because the technologies that surround us are all connected to the internet and if right security is not put in place, your system is vulnerable to hackers and intruders. Intruders can be dealt with easily and the first step is to secure your homes by adding cameras and sensors all over the house, therefore, with the help of cameras and sensors you will automatically be alerted if someone is trying to break in physically and if any door or window is being opened. This not only provides security but also a piece of mind when you are on a vacation or a business trip and with the help of cameras home surveillance will be just clicks away. Statistically speaking, “95% of home owners are a victim of home burglary when they are away”. As technologies are advancing, there are many more reasons for hackers to find vulnerabilities in your smart home system to gain private information. All smart IoT devices are going to be connected to a network and for all devices to function normally they all will need to communicate with each other over a secured network, hence, secure network is the best shield against threats against hackers. There are many ways on how to have a secured home network, some of which are, checking the routers software is up to date, good home network firewall is in place and most effective method, getting help from security professionals for a secured home network with secured IoT and this can be costly for many but overtime smart IoT will be a necessity in every home.
In the coming future we will soon have a perfectly organized ecosystem. IoT smart devices will communicate with other IoT devices to simplify and improve the quality of our lives which will lead towards smart life. New technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine learning (ML) are being tested for cyber-attacks. IoT embedded with AI and ML will constantly be learning about threats and providing solutions for them and smart appliances will notify if any security risks are involved by diagnosing themselves and download security fixing by itself. A good smart home energy management system with ease of use, good technical support and providing constant updates on the firmware is the key to having a secured home network, a secured smart home, a secured smart life.