IoT makes our lives easier

Looking in the fridge while shopping

You are grocery shopping and wonder if there is still milk in the fridge. With the latest refrigerators with built-in cameras, you can simply check that in the app! Just like remotely putting the fridge on eco-mode when you are on vacation, or setting it to fast-freeze to preserve the vitamins and nutrients of the vegetables you are going to buy this afternoon as much as possible.

Create a home cinema

You want to watch an exciting series or a romantic movie; it is now possible to create the right atmosphere with lamps and transform your living room into a home cinema. With smart lighting, you can wake up with gradual light in the morning and turn the lamps on in advance as a warm welcome when you come home in the evening.

The house always smells nice

Do you already have a Perfume Diffuser for a unique scent experience that allows you to perfume your home at pre-set times? Adjust the intensity of your scent schedule remotely for unexpected visitors and control the device with your voice.

And what about your Smart TV, Smartwatch, Smartphone, smart thermostat, electric car, smart smoke detector etc.

IoT makes us more vulnerable

We often do not realize that these devices collect a lot of personal data and other sensitive information. IoT devices are always on, can communicate with each other and are connected to the network and the internet, which makes your privacy vulnerable. Data is collected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are not always settings in the apps where you can see what data has been collected and how you can delete it, for example. Also, there are not often updates, because this makes the product more expensive to purchase. The devices are not well secured and are interesting for hackers! The end user, which could be you, often does not know this.

• Health data (How much do you weigh? How high is your heart rate? Do you exercise a lot?)
• Financial data (Your bank account number, or when and what you bought?)
• Location data, where exactly you were on that day

IoT security tips

Be aware of what the IoT device has access to!

• It is best to put each device on its own network and not on the main network (VLAN)
• Only buy devices from reputable manufacturers (instead of the much cheaper variants on Chinese webshops)
• Always change the default password and ensure a strong and unique password for each IoT device and change it regularly
• Use 2-step authentication if available
• Keep an eye on updates and always install them
• If possible, install antivirus software

If a device shows deviant behavior that you do not recognize, take action!