With Christmas just around the corner many parents are still looking for the perfect gifts for their children. In a season that can see them spend up to \u00a31,000 on tech goods, many of us forget the risks that come with bringing new devices into the home.<\/p>\n
As people start waking up to the risks involved with smart technology \u2013 including Parliament, which has recently approved the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill<\/span><\/a> \u2013<\/span> the University of Kent\u2019s <\/span>Sarah Turner has responded to some of the main questions and concerns about staying cyber-safe this Christmas when buying new technology. Sarah is a computing expert who specialises in how UK families engage with cyber-security when using home Internet of Things (IoT) devices.<\/p>\n What is the internet of things in terms <\/span>in relation to<\/span> devices and tech in the home? <\/span><\/p>\n The Internet of Things<\/span> is a catch-all term for any everyday object that <\/span>can be<\/span> Internet-connected. <\/span>You\u2019ll<\/span> often <\/span>see them <\/span>called <\/span>\u2018<\/span>smart<\/span>\u2019<\/span> devices. \u00a0So, a <\/span>smart TV, <\/span>smart speaker,<\/span> smart toy,<\/span> or smart thermostat, for instance<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n The<\/span>se devices<\/span> typically <\/span>act to make our lives more convenient but <\/span>are especially good <\/span>at giving<\/span> you a more personalised <\/span>experience<\/span>;<\/span> for <\/span>example<\/span>,<\/span> y<\/span>our TV <\/span>viewing<\/span> or heating in the ho<\/span>me.<\/span> They do this by collecting<\/span>, and then processing, <\/span>lots of <\/span>data about how y<\/span>ou \u2013 and anyone else around the devices<\/span> \u2013 use and interact with them.<\/span> From our <\/span>research<\/span><\/a>, we found that a lot of parent<\/span>s<\/span> do not understand<\/span> the risks of IoT devices, and they don\u2019t consider them to be a threat. <\/span><\/p>\n How are families at risk because of this tech? <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n There are three things <\/span>that anyone planning to buy a <\/span>smart <\/span>device to have in t<\/span>he home needs to consider beforehand<\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n 1) Is everyone<\/span> in and around the home \u2013 adults, children, people who babysit, friends, wider family members –<\/span> happy with having their data collected? <\/span>This might be their voice or videos <\/span>of them<\/span>.<\/span> It might allow for other users of the device \u2013 or people who have your <\/span>WiFi <\/span>password – to track their movements, see what they are watching or buying, for <\/span>example<\/span>.<\/span> You may also need to <\/span>ensure that your devices do not encroach on the privacy<\/span><\/a> of people outside of your home, like neighbours.<\/span><\/p>\n 2) Are you <\/span>confident that<\/span> you have bought a reputable device? Although there <\/span>will soon be UK legislation<\/span> requiring some basic security measures for these devices, at present, this does not exist. This can mean that devices can be sold without having to give any thought to how to make them secure<\/span>, and therefore how to keep you and your family safe<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n 3) Do you know<\/span> for<\/span> how long the device\u2019s software will be updated?<\/span> Devices can often<\/span> be sold<\/span> with<\/span> very short periods of <\/span>supported <\/span>software updates. <\/span>When this stops, it means the device will not receive important s<\/span>oftware updates <\/span>that will<\/span> fix<\/span> software vulnerabilities<\/span> that can<\/span> leave you at risk of being the victim of a <\/span>cyber-attack<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Any specific risks to children? <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The major risk to children is that they, too often, get no say in devices being set up, and will not have access to apps that can control the devices, but will all too often have their data taken \u2013 with all the potential risks that that can bring. \u00a0A <\/span>concerning<\/span> example from 2019 is that of an <\/span>8 year old girl who was spoken to by a stranger pretending to be Santa because of a poorly configured Ring camera in her bedroom<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n More generally, these devices are particularly tricky in the home. <\/span>Often, smart speakers, <\/span>TVs <\/span>or games consoles, for example, exist in part to get their users to buy more products \u2013 from shopping websites, or<\/span> to<\/span> movies or games. \u00a0This can happen because the person who has the device has provided account information<\/span> as part of the <\/span>set-up<\/span> process<\/span> \u2013 usually including credit card information \u2013<\/span> and do not realise that purchase features often <\/span><\/a>must<\/span> be switched <\/span>off <\/span>rather than <\/span>on<\/span>, which can be quite the expensive learning experience!<\/span><\/p>\n What are the top ways in which families can protect themselves?<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve had that discussion, spend some time going through the device\u2019s settings and see how you can adjust them to fit everyone\u2019s requirements.<\/p>\n And finally \u2013 consider what <\/span>buying and<\/span> IoT device as a gift <\/span>means for the <\/span>person<\/span> you\u2019re buying it for, and their household<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Smart speakers in particular are often heavily discounted, making them seem like exciting and fun gifts<\/a>. But remember: to give the fun they promise, they take a lot from the people using them\u2026<\/p>\n Sarah Turner<\/span><\/a> is a Research Student for the School of Computing<\/span><\/a> at the University of Kent. Her research focuses on the way in which UK families engage with cyber security when using home Internet of Things (IoT) devices.<\/p>\n Dr Jason Nurse<\/span><\/a> is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Cyber Security in the\u00a0<\/span>School of Computing<\/span><\/a> and the <\/span>Institute of Cyber Security for Society (<\/span>iCSS<\/span>)<\/span><\/a> at the University of Kent. His research interests span smart home technologies, security and privacy awareness, and ways to keep people safe online.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
\n