Smart Home Security: Protecting Your Connected Device

Smart home households report owning and using an average of 25 internet-connected products in total.

Today’s consumer reports owning and using a wide mix of product types, including not just traditional computing products with web browsers and apps, but also many varieties of headless IoT devices that interact with the internet in automatic and oftentimes invisible ways (or so it seems to the consumer). These devices typically rely on other devices or systems in the network to receive and process data.

Headless IoT devices are Internet of Things (IoT) products that do not have a user interface or display screen. Unlike more typical devices, such as smartphones or laptops, which have a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows users to interact with them, headless IoT devices are designed to operate autonomously and communicate with other devices or systems in the network.

These products range from browserless consumer electronic devices, such as internet-enabled printers, smart speakers, and robotic vacuum cleaners, to new smart home products, including smart thermostats, video doorbells, and even appliances. Each internet-connected device and accompanying service has its own unique privacy policies, data collection practices, and underlying vulnerabilities.

As the landscape of consumer-connected products grows more complex, the attack surface of the connected household grows, and the likelihood of an adverse event rises. While many consumers are aware that internet-connected products and services have potential risks, they lack a deep understanding of these risks and are unsure of how to mitigate them.

Some 74% of heads of US internet households report being ‘concerned’ about the security of their personal data, rating their concern a 5-7 on a 7pt scale. These concerns are largely founded: nearly half of consumers reported experiencing at least one tested privacy or security issue in the past year.

Tested data privacy and security issues:

• Identity theft
• Data theft over home networks
• Data theft over public Wi-Fi
• Infection by viruses or spyware
• Private information being made public
• Companies selling personal data to other companies
• Companies tracking online activities
• Hackers gaining access to the respondent’s device
• Unwanted recordings of video or audio data by devices
• Device theft
• Loss of a device with personal data.

Download our complimentary White Paper, “Data Privacy and Security in the Connected Home,” in collaboration with Iris? Powered by Generali .

This white paper by Parks Associates highlights the data privacy and security risks posed by the connected home, how consumers perceive these risks, and the role smart home platforms play in mitigating threats. It explores the risks to consumers’ identity and data and the opportunity for players in this space – including platforms, internet service providers, home security providers, hardware companies, and home subscription service providers – to help educate and protect their customers against potential harm. Download now: https://tinyurl.com/htb7es22

Parks Associates ?partnered with?Iris? Powered by Generali ?to host the webinar "Data and Privacy Protections: Building a Trusted Smart Home." ???? In an era where data privacy and security are paramount, this webinar aimed to explore strategies that strengthen consumer trust in innovative home products and brands. ?? Parks Associates’ research finds 72% of smart home product owners are concerned with the security of the personal data that is collected and transmitted by their smart home products. This webinar shares strategies to build consumer trust and help combat identity theft, fraud, and invasive data collection. Download the webinar today: https://lnkd.in/gK44G_FA