Tech Expert Calls for Industry-Wide Security Standards for Internet of Things

In a recent interview with Media News Online, Jason Hope, a tech entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Internet of Things evangelist, raised alarms about the security of a world of interconnected devices. “Because the industry has not yet accepted a standard, consumers need to shop wisely,” he said. “Look for devices that use established, proven security measures, such as public key cryptography, to ensure that the information the devices contain and collect remains secure.”

As more and more devices – from baby monitors to cars – get connected to the internet, the risk of a security breach increases, as does the volume and variety of security credentials needed by users. This is an area where biometrics may offer an elegant solution, as of course devices that require fingerprint scans, iris scans, and the like can’t be hacked in the same way that simple password-encoded devices can.

Hope’s optimism about the Internet of Things remains strong in the face of this security issue, but he maintains that the situation cannot stand as it has. “The Internet of Things will make life easier and technology more intuitive,” he says, “but it needs a framework on which to add security protocols.”