The Internet of Things

What do the following have in common? Toasters, kettles, refrigerators…well, they’re all found in the kitchen, that’s true. But they are all commonly becoming part of the Internet of Things (IoT). To put it simply, these devices and thousands of others are being fitted with sensors that allow them to talk to each other. Why? Actually, there are loads of benefits. Want a cuppa? Turn on the kettle from your smartphone. Connect your fridge to your shopping list and auto-order milk when you’re getting low. All these features have their uses, but BEWARE! They can also be exploited by cybercriminals… As technology gets smarter, so do hackers, and so must we. With products joining the IoT at a rapid rate, data is constantly being collected. That data can be exploited by those criminals for their own purposes, so all of us should be aware of how to protect ourselves and our belongings. It’s extremely useful stuff to know.

Learning objectives:

• Define the Internet of Things (IoT)
• Identify uses for the IoT
• Implement security measures to protect yourself