Consumers Worried About IoT Security, Survey Finds

The survey of more than 6,000 residents in the UK found a disconnect between the growing number of people interested in buying Internet of things (IoT) devices and their abilities to secure those devices. More than a quarter of respondents said they are planning to buy IoT devices in the next 12 months. However, 66 percent of them are concerned about attacks against their devices, and 57 percent are worried about privacy breaches.

Security experts worry that the increase in the number of connected devices will greatly expand the attack surface for hackers and other cyber-criminals. The debate around IoT and security touches on myriad issues, from determining whether certain devices need priority over others, to encouraging device makers to figure security into the design rather than bolting it on after the product is finished.