Electrical grids, traffic lights, highway signs, air-traffic control, and even hospital networks—they're the large-scale operating systems we rely on to make our lives easier and better. And believe it or not, they're all connected to the Internet.
These web-connected systems are so diverse in what they do, they fall into a very nondescript category called the "Internet of Things" (IoT). You might have heard of IoT. It's the same term thrown around to describe those cool gadgets that help us track our fitness, drive our cars, share our photos, stream our music, and check our email from almost anywhere. Chances are, no matter what you've done today, you've taken advantage of some device or system connected to the worldwide "web" of the Internet of Things.
However, despite IoT's promising future, it has one very serious setback: it's vulnerable to attack. As much as 70 percent of IoT devices contain security flaws, which means that billions of devices—including yours—could get hacked by online criminals. Here are the devices you own that might be at risk for a cyber attack, and how you can secure them.
Your PC
Every time you connect your PC to the Internet, it's a possible target. Click on a suspicious link from an email or social media message, and your computer could be taken over by malicious software. Cyber criminals could use that malware to download your personal files, steal your banking information, or even spy on you.
How To Protect Your PC: Keep your computer and antivirus software up-to-date. Avoid clicking on links sent by spammy email or social media messages, since they might contain malicious software.
Your Mac
If you're a Mac groupie, you might have been convinced by those smooth-talking reps at the Apple store that your Mac is pretty much invincible. Sure, Apple's built in operating system (called OS X) is very secure—possibly more secure than Microsoft's OS. However, Macs aren't 100% resistant to viruses; they just haven't (yet) been hit by large-scale attacks.
Since PCs have been part of the computing ecosystem for much longer than Macs, cyber crooks have had more time and incentive to exploit their enormous consumer base of individuals, big businesses, and government agencies. As Apple's consumer base continues to grow worldwide, don't be surprised if hackers start looking for ways to infiltrate your Mac.
How To Protect Your Mac: When Apple's operating system (OS X) gets a security bug, Apple typically updates it. Make sure you're running the most recent version of Apple's OS X.
Your Android
Google's Android system lets anyone create and upload an app; it's up to the user to decide whether to trust it. To infiltrate your Android device, hackers just have to create malware that seems legit. That's why, after 79% of Flappy Bird's clone apps were found to contain malware, the game was pulled from app stores last year. Flappy Bird's malicious clone apps allowed cyber criminals to remotely hijack users' phones to steal their contact list, track their location, make phone calls, and even record, send, and receive text messages.
How To Protect Your Android: When you download an app, it's up to you to understand what personal information you're letting the app access from your phone. Take a few minutes to read the app's permissions request. You might see some red flags that indicate it's a malicious app created to steal your phone's personal data.
Your iPhone
While Google leaves their apps open to developers, Apple's mobile iOS builds a "closed garden." That means all apps and accessories they offer in their store have to be approved by Apple.
While that definitely adds a safety net for iPhone and iPad users like you, it doesn't mean you're free from cyber threats. Last year, Apple released a software patch to fix security issues in the iOS 7, its most recent operating system at the time. The security lapse allowed would-be hackers to potentially impersonate a trusted website, without the software flagging the connection as insecure.
Another glitch last year allowed would-be hackers to potentially use website pages, emails, and text messages to trick users into downloading fake apps that could steal their personal information. According to a research study last year, Apple products could also be vulnerable to malware when they're connected to a malware-infected Windows device.
How To Protect Your iPhone or iPad: As with the Mac, make sure you're running the most recent version of Apple's mobile operating system (iOS) on your iPhone or iPad. Also, avoid clicking on any suspicious links or sharing sensitive data on a public Wifi network.
Your Cloud Accounts
Think of the "Cloud" as a storage facility in cyber space. So long as you have a Wifi connection and login information, you can access it from anywhere. But beware: the Cloud's convenience factor also makes it very appealing to hackers. If they find out your login credentials, your personal data is up for grabs.
How To Protect Your Cloud Storage Accounts: If you don't really need certain photos or personal files stored online, don't keep them in the Cloud. Store them on a hard drive instead. If you do use cloud-based software, set up a secure, unique password for each account.
Your Car
Almost 100% of new cars on the market have some type of wireless connection. That's great news if you want to use GPS, connect to Bluetooth, or stream movies to keep your kids quiet on road trips. It's terrifying news if you have any concerns over your security.
Most newer cars use computerized parts that run on the same network. If a hacker got remote access to that network, they could potentially take over the car's operating system. That means you could lose all control over your steering, acceleration, and brakes, even while you're still behind the wheel.
Luckily, the hackers who discovered these security flaws weren't criminals; they were actually funded by the Defense Department to expose automakers' dangerous security oversight. Besides, the hack is still pretty difficult for cyber crooks to pull off on a massive scale, since not all cars use the same operating language or run their parts on a single network. However, it's a scary enough scenario that legislators are asking automakers to step up their car security measures.
How To Protect Your Car: There's not much you can do here. If you're curious about your car's security risks, ask your dealer for more information.
Your At-Home Gadgets (And Home Router)
Think about how often you connect to the web, even when you're unwinding at home. You check email, upload photos, play video games, stream music, and watch movies from your SmartTV. You might even use a home automation system to control your thermostat, alarm system, security cameras, and front or garage doors. When you connect all your gadgets to your home Wifi, do you know how secure they are.
Most likely, they're not nearly as protected as you think. Many of the "smart" devices you use to protect your home have little to no built-in security. Plus, many home networks use passwords that are easily hacked into. Allow cyber crooks to access your home Wifi network, and you might as well hand over the keys to your home. These hackers can now potentially manipulate any devices connected to your home Wifi network.
How To Protect Your Home Gadgets: Secure your router. If you have a default password for your home Wifi network, change your network name and password. Only use apps and features on your smartphone that require a passcode to access them.
Shield Your Devices From Cyber Hackers
As cool as it sounds to have the latest wireless technology in your car, home, and at your fingertips, technology that falls under the umbrella of the "Internet of Things" is just too new and expansive to keep it 100% safeguarded from attack. These ground-breaking devices are developed to stay ahead of the curve, so they're put on the market before cyber security experts can even assess the extent of their security flaws.
In other words, IoT devices are the "gateway gadgets" for hackers to make their move. If you take the right preventive measures, you have a fighting chance to protect your most valuable (and hackable) devices from getting attacked.
