Is it Really Smart to go Smart?

Unfortunately the proliferation of WiFi gadgets is causing the problem.

Vulnerabilities in the TCP/IP stack are being found decades after it has been adopted worldwide, and with so many devices from small companies, which prefer to focus on “sexy” features rather than security, using WiFi is a risk. That's why, in the smart homes I design, I never use WiFi - I use instead ZWave or ZigBee which are built with security in mind, and where the gateway to the Internet is centralised  in a single point, easy to monitor and to upgrade.

I think we are still in a stage where smart homes are still being done by “cowboys” or DIYers with little knowledge of the security risks of connecting everything to the Internet.

The UK government has issued a proposal for a new law to regulate the security of IoT devices (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-advances-plans-to-boost-security-of-smart-products).

My hope is that the awareness of the risks, plus the government initiatives, will make Smart Home design and installation a specific job that requires training and qualification, and thus left to specialists - much like electrical installations.

Unfortunately the proliferation of WiFi gadgets is causing the problem.

Vulnerabilities in the TCP/IP stack are being found decades after it has been adopted worldwide, and with so many devices from small companies, which prefer to focus on “sexy” features rather than security, using WiFi is a risk. That's why, in the smart homes I design, I never use WiFi - I use instead ZWave or ZigBee which are built with security in mind, and where the gateway to the Internet is centralised  in a single point, easy to monitor and to upgrade.

I think we are still in a stage where smart homes are still being done by “cowboys” or DIYers with little knowledge of the security risks of connecting everything to the Internet.

The UK government has issued a proposal for a new law to regulate the security of IoT devices (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-advances-plans-to-boost-security-of-smart-products).

My hope is that the awareness of the risks, plus the government initiatives, will make Smart Home design and installation a specific job that requires training and qualification, and thus left to specialists - much like electrical installations.