What are Key Issues for the Internet of Things in 2016?

What will be the key issues for the Internet of Things in 2016? JD Supra Business Advisor asked me and other privacy and data security lawyers to comment. Securing these devices is at the top of the list. Here’s the full article.

The Internet of Things is the universe of smart devices that talk to the internet or to one another. Many Internet of Things devices have known vulnerabilities and don’t have security as an integral part of their design. Internet of Things devices are actually mini-computers, tied to a network and running reasonably complex software. Recent examples of vulnerabilities are recording and storage of conversations in the cloud through a talking doll, terrorists communicating through gaming systems, and hackers taking control of a vehicle remotely and making it do whatever they wanted.

A real danger of this area is that consumers don’t yet think of these devices as security risks. A router, for example, is something that a consumer might buy every few years, set up as quickly as possible, and then forget about as it gathers dust in a corner of the home. Cybercrime is on a dramatic rise and there will be an increase in attack vectors through the Internet of Things.

Other colleagues in this area observed that data management challenges will increase for businesses with the increasingly varied data coming in. The new data could include biometrics, geolocation, vibration, motion, and temperature. As well, companies in this industry are likely to be more proactive about self-regulation, forming voluntary standards or codes of conduct.