One of the most prominent markets for IoT devices is the wearable electronics market. Apple recently came out with the Apple Watch, a smart watch with so much demand that over 6 million of them could be sold during December 2015. Fitbits are also increasing in popularity, implying the craze over wearables is more than Apple fans. From a technological standpoint, wearable electronics are new and capable of a lot of things that conventional mobile devices just can't do.
According to Forbes, this trend is piquing a number of security professionals' interest, as wearables have several unique characteristics that make them attractive hacking targets. Wearables as a whole emphasize freedom of movement and connectivity with other computers. Since most people don't appreciate the idea of wiring their Apple Watch to their laptop or phone, the next best way to connect them is through wireless networking, such as Bluetooth. Wireless networks tend to be easier to break into than wired networks, and compromising one machine on a network increases the risk to all the others.
Wearables are also becoming more powerful. No longer are watches just watches; the Apple Watch also has an accelerometer, heart rate monitor, and a full range of apps that can play music, answer phone calls, check email, or control your iPhone's camera. Other devices aren't far behind. In addition, wearables are being interconnected like never before, meaning a compromised wearable can potentially aid in penetrating a more valuable device (like a laptop). This wide range of features makes them more useful to their owners, results in them processing more information, and makes them more attractive in the eyes of hackers. Timex watches just don't have the features most hackers want.
As wearables become more popular, more interconnected, and more powerful, there is a significant chance that criminals will begin to notice. Unfortunately, Forbes notes that many developers are too focused on getting their products out there to care much about the future security problem. This trend is common across the IoT, as mentioned in previous blog posts.
So, if you're getting a loved one a smart watch for Christmas, remember that there is more to the story than the shiny new gadget. Your gift symbolizes a whole new field of computer security, one where cyber battles could be won or lost on people's wrists. It will be exciting to see where such new inventions lead in the near future!
According to Forbes, this trend is piquing a number of security professionals' interest, as wearables have several unique characteristics that make them attractive hacking targets. Wearables as a whole emphasize freedom of movement and connectivity with other computers. Since most people don't appreciate the idea of wiring their Apple Watch to their laptop or phone, the next best way to connect them is through wireless networking, such as Bluetooth. Wireless networks tend to be easier to break into than wired networks, and compromising one machine on a network increases the risk to all the others.
Wearables are also becoming more powerful. No longer are watches just watches; the Apple Watch also has an accelerometer, heart rate monitor, and a full range of apps that can play music, answer phone calls, check email, or control your iPhone's camera. Other devices aren't far behind. In addition, wearables are being interconnected like never before, meaning a compromised wearable can potentially aid in penetrating a more valuable device (like a laptop). This wide range of features makes them more useful to their owners, results in them processing more information, and makes them more attractive in the eyes of hackers. Timex watches just don't have the features most hackers want.
As wearables become more popular, more interconnected, and more powerful, there is a significant chance that criminals will begin to notice. Unfortunately, Forbes notes that many developers are too focused on getting their products out there to care much about the future security problem. This trend is common across the IoT, as mentioned in previous blog posts.
So, if you're getting a loved one a smart watch for Christmas, remember that there is more to the story than the shiny new gadget. Your gift symbolizes a whole new field of computer security, one where cyber battles could be won or lost on people's wrists. It will be exciting to see where such new inventions lead in the near future!
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