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IOT SECURIT Y Internet-connected smart devices can deliver significant benefits to users' lives, anticipating needs and providing services in areas from entertainment to energy use. But vulnerable devices present security risks, leading the UK government to propose new mandatory cybersecurity measures. Jamie Bennett, director of connected living at Schneider Electric, sets the scene NETWORK / 24 / FEBRUARY 2020 heating schedule based around their regular routine. Some even feature smart 'away modes' that can be activated using geofencing technology when the connected phone is a certain distance away from the house. All this data could provide a hacker with everything they need to know about when a property is empty. Additionally, weather com - pensation technology works by using online weather reports, based on postcodes, which also presents a threat of exposing personal data. In one case, a smart heating controller using online weather reports was found not to be encrypting the postcode when searching for data, leading to a number of customer complaints. Wider systems compromised While a hacked device can leave a homeowner vulnerable and their data compromised, it can also be used for a much larger scale attack. In recent years, thanks to the rise in use of smart technology in the home, com - promised devices have become vulnerable to 'botnets'. In this scenario, malware allows an unauthorised source to use the device, and it becomes part of a network of thousands, which all target one website simultane - ously, to overload its servers and bring the website down. For example, the infamous Mirai malware infected more than 300,000 devices in 2016, which were then used to carry out distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks and other crimi - T hanks to the convenience they offer, most home- owners now have around 10 internet- connected devices in their homes, ranging from smart video doorbells, smart speakers and heating controls to wearable health trackers, smart appliances and electric charging points for their car. Smart technology, when used correctly, will allow growing populations to be serviced more easily. However, if not secured properly, the growing uptake in connected technology presents a number of different ways for Cybersecurity: making smart homes secure an unauthorised user to access the device and the data it stores. While some hacks might seem harmless, for example a hacked smart light being turned on and off remotely at random intervals, there are also instances where security cam - eras, webcams and connected doorbells have been accessed, allowing a hacker to violate the homeowner's privacy. One ex- ample occurred in 2012, where 700 live video feeds from Trend- Net security cameras, including devices inside businesses and children's bedrooms, were ac- cessed and published online by a hacker who was able to guess the cameras' net addresses due to a vulnerability in the devices' firmware. Personal data exposed Another issue that arises with the security of smart technology is personal data, which is oŒen required for devices to function correctly, and how this informa - tion is stored and used. For in- stance, smart thermostats, such as Google's Nest and Hive from British Gas, collect a host of data in order to offer advanced functions. Many fully-featured heating controls on the market now allow homeowners to create a Jamie Bennett, director of con- nected living, Schneider Electric