The automated home and office market is predicted to grow quickly in the next few years. But as reports of cyber attacks increase, is it still possible for a home to be a castle in the age of smart buildings, or are we lowering the drawbridge to hackers?
Smart buildings offer better energy efficiency and the kind of futuristic mod cons that appeal to many consumers, but some experts warn our appetite for new technology is putting us at risk from increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks.
The smart home market - worth an estimated $47 billion (44.5 billion euros) in 2015 - is expected to grow to more than $120 billion by 2022 (almost 114 billion euros). Yet while the appetite for smart homes is growing, there are several cases that highlight the weakness apparently inherent in internet connected buildings.
In January, hackers reportedly took control of the electronic key system of a hotel in the Austrian Alps. Fully booked and with little alternative, the hotel paid the 1,600 euro ransom to regain control of the system.
As consumers buy increasing numbers of internet-connected devices from a range of manufacturers, security experts are warning that we risk unknowingly exposing ourselves to the risk of privacy breaches or ransomware attacks. “When you look at the internet of things (IOT) devices and other technology you can always see the same problem, there are vendors trying to go to market quickly and they don’t pay attention to security,” says Cesar Cerrudo, CTO at security consultancy IOActive.
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20 March 2017