The Negative Effects Of The Internet Of Things

In 1999, Kevin Ashton coined the term “the internet of things”. This term would go on to describe the massive system of interconnected devices common in the modern world. This system is implemented in multiple environments, including hospitals, workplaces, and homes. Although some may argue that the internet of things is beneficial to these environments, the security holes and privacy implications must be taken into account. Therefore, in these environments, the IoT has more negative consequences than positive ones.

The internet of things is most commonly defined as a system of interconnected devices that can connect to the internet. These devices can include anything from coffee makers to the jet engine of an airplane. Due to the variety of devices that can be connected to the internet, the connectivity between these devices, and the global use of the IoT, “attackers can easily find and exploit any vulnerability in the system.” (Security and privacy issues in IoT) There are many security risks to the IoT that can not be ignored. One of these risks is the fact that since these devices are connected to the internet, they are prone to cyber attacks just as a computer would be. In addition, most IoT devices do not have the same amount of security protocol as a computer. This leads to IoT devices being heavily targeted by cybercriminals, and more prone to data loss or hacking. For example, in April of 2014 a strain of malware named “Brickerbot” specifically attacked weakly