Internet of Things (IoT) & Identity Theft: Should You Be Concerned?

In case you haven’t heard of the Internet of Things (IoT), here’s a look at what it does and how identity theft protections come into play.

Today’s world continues to utilize technology in new and innovative ways, transforming the way we work, communicate and even how we perform basic everyday functions. The network of wirelessly connected devices all around us is referred to as the “Internet of Things” (IoT).

Your fitness band that measures your heart rate and steps each day and delivers relevant information to an app on your phone, the light bulbs you can dim or turn on and off when you’re not even in the same room, and the driverless cars we keep hearing more and more about are all a part of this new connected world.

There’s no signs of these innovations slowing either. The market for IoT devices is predicted to double by 2021 and reach $521B. 

As these devices become central to our everyday lives, security is a growing concern. Hackers, if successful at infiltrating devices, could gain control of important devices in your home, such as the locks on your doors or a baby monitor.

Then there’s also the data side of things. With all of the connected devices that gather data about us, the user, and how we’re using these devices gets stored. In our phones, or servers, there’s a lot to think about.

When it comes to identity theft specifically, the “Internet of Things” presents unique opportunities for the wrong person to gain enough information about you to falsify your identity for theft.

The best way to protect yourself from these concerns is to strengthen your defenses to prevent a potential hack. Here are a few ways to do that.

  • Always keep security software up-to-date and ensure all patches on your networks, devices and software are performed.
  • Be sure to use different and difficult passwords across profiles and devices. A password management tool can help with keeping those stored safely.
  • Understand the benefits vs. the risks of every connected device you purchase. That includes reading the privacy policy and knowing what the trade-off is (with your personal data) to have the conveniences the device will bring to your life.
  • Protect your mobile device fiercely. As we are adding more of our life to the digital world, our phones are becoming the golden ticket to access to all those profiles, accounts and data. It’s more important than ever to protect that important device, use locks, fingerprint access and never leave it lying around to get in the wrong hands.

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