Tips on Staying Safe with The Internet of Things

For most people, including men 50 and over, it’s increasingly difficult to imagine a time with no internet. It has completely revolutionized our world; we can work and go to school from home, connect to long-lost friends and with distant family members and research just about any topic with a mouse-click. However, as the internet has grown, so have the number and variety of objects that can connect to it, and now the data collected from it. This is where the Internet of Things (IoT) comes into play.

What is The Internet of Things?

For our purposes (and at the risk of oversimplifying), The Internet of Things (IoT) is another name for all the devices around the world that connect to the internet. IoT does not refer to the internet service itself but the physical devices, such as our phones, tablets, and computers. These objects share two things in common, they are all connected to the internet, and they are collecting and sharing data. The interesting (or scary) thing about IoT is that almost any hardware object could eventually become a part of this collection. This puts a continuous threat of our online presence being compromised.

We’ve all seen the news. It shouldn’t be a surprise that there’s an entire industry gathering and analyzing data points to better determine our buying habits. And while it is a little unsettling when my phone chimes up a two-for-one flash-sale as I walk by a retailer, I couldn’t imagine living without the convenience of online commerce. And if it’s not available off my phone, I typically look for something that is, and companies know that.

Staying safe in the IoT world

Staying safe online in the 21^st century isn’t impossible, it just means we need to be aware of the level of access to our data we’ll grant in exchange for the convenience of the internet.

Do you really need it connected?

Remember that anything using the internet is connected to the internet, and may contribute to the collection of your data and activities. This isn’t all bad, things like online banking and shopping are a given in our busy lives. Everything from our cars to an entire home can be smart, meaning we can program them to react to our demands. But you must decide the trade-off between convenience and accessibility. If you really need your household appliances online, then understand they’ll be collecting information. The same idea applies to your phone. That pocket-sized computer gathers information 24/7/365, so be careful about the apps you install.

Read the agreements and understand the trade-off.

If you connect your products, use an online service, or download an app, read the licensing agreement. We know they hurt, but they spell out what data they’re collecting, how they will collect it, and what they will do with it. (We touched on this in our blog on Protecting Your Digital Identity) Once you have the knowledge, you can ask yourself if the trade-off between the product/service is worth the data they’re collecting.

Consider using a VPN

An increasingly popular way to protect yourself is to use a Virtual Private Network or VPN for short. A VPN is a service that encrypts your traffic and hides your location while using the internet. VPN’s are not necessarily new; they’ve been used by business-to-business (B2B) and government operations for years. Market demand, though, has brought the technology to the individual consumer and represents a viable solution to online safety.

VPN’s are relatively straightforward to use and once you choose a VPN provider, you’ll install your client-side software. The encrypted connection will offer you a “tunnel” by which you will access the internet. Advantages of a VPN may be worth the cost to you; you’re able to surf public w-fi without fear of being tracked by retailers or hackers accessing your device, and your ISP not being able to monitor your searches.

Depending on the investment the VPN provider has made in their servers, you could experience a reduction in internet speed (up to 10%). The software funnels your encrypted traffic to and through your ISP, so something must give. Most providers will allow multiple devices per account, so your phone and tablets can be covered. Also, carefully read and understand your VPN provider’s policy on logging of your traffic and under what circumstances they must release it; reputable providers will delete the logs on a consistent basis.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication

You’re probably already familiar with Multi-Factor Authentication, a form of online security where the requester must authenticate with a combination of mechanisms after a log-in; something they know, something they can have, or something the user is. Many companies and government agencies already require some type of multi-factor, like a four-digit code sent either by SMS, email, or phone call, the contact information most likely contained in the user’s account.(Here is a good article on the MFA basics from the National Institute of Standards and Technology)

Multi-factor authentication has its security drawbacks; hackers can clone phones, emails replicated, and your provider can read SMS messages, but it is a solid first step in authentication. The method is getting better and technology is offering robust solutions with business-to-consumer (B2C) platforms.

Look into an Online Monitoring and Protection Service

If you’re comfortable with a company providing an entire digital security package for you, they are slowly responding to consumer demand for security suites. Norton Life Lock for one (NOT affiliated with The 55 Lifestyle) offers a variety of services to customers that help protect them from online threats. For a fee, they’ll offer the typical antivirus and security services like identity protection, credit monitoring, VPNs, and password management under one roof.

But with any offer, consider it with due diligence as you may get the same services cheaper if you buy them individually, you credit checks are free anyway, and most online providers (internet, phone, etc.) have programs at no cost to help secure you online, you just have to ask.

Final Thoughts

We live in extraordinary times, technologically speaking. The Internet of Things has given us the means to live practically from our phones and we’ve entrusted it to run just about every facet of our lives, from business to personal activities. We’ve grown accustomed to the convenience and now it’s ingrained. But with all else, cyber-criminals are constantly looking for ways to exploit any avenue to steal our identity and our money. It’s up to us to keep informed and continue to pressure business and industry to adapt! As we’ve said before, as consumers we have the ultimate “power of the purse” and once we demand, the market will supply!

We hope you’ve found some useful information here that you can apply to your daily lives. As always, if you don’t see something here you want covered, reach out to us directly through our Contact page or leave a comment below. Stay safe and all the best ~ Glen.