>> IoT NIGHTMARES - DOOMSDAY ON THE HORIZON?

Is there a need to go into panic mode over potential mis-use of IoT?

While on the topic of IoT security some bloggers have taken the "what-if" approach to IoT technology being exploited and used to create havoc amongst the world where it is deployed - are they insane or are these valid things that need to be addressed now?

Even US Vice President Dick Cheney and his doctors are paranoid such that they disabled the wireless functionality in his pacemaker installed to assist with his heart problems to thwart any possible assassination attempts - a concern he believes could happen.

A cyber security firm based in Washington, USA predicts that the first IoT based murder will occur in 2014 - which was reported by the European policing agency Europol warning of "physical injury and possible death" resulting from an online attack.

SafeNet, a data protection company has started a series of blog posts on IoT Nightmare scenarios and have posted a few entries (I am confident that more will come) - the current list:

• IoT Nightmares - Who turned out the lights?
• IoT Nightmares - Prison Break
• IoT Nightmares - From Riches to Rags
• IoT Nightmares - Rerouted

IoT will make a number of changes to the way in which we interact with technology around us; while we should be concerned about how such environments can be exploited, it comes down to common sense in regards to deploying IoT over traditional (well proven) systems.

In reality, nothing is 100% secure - it is only possible to reduce the risk by putting appropriate counter measures and security solutions in place. The key lesson to keep in the back of your mind is that you should expect to be hacked, compromised and exploited - then appropriately decide where IoT should be integrated into your lives.