We Need to Talk about Cybersecurity for Older, Unsupported IoT Devices
With such swift changes in smart-home technology these days, vendors area cranking out new-and-improved IoT devices faster than ever. How are we to secure our connected homes when manufacturers move to the next big thing and discontinue support – including firmware updates for the latest security threats – for existing products and services?
Many providers keep security provisions in the cloud, along with apps, connectivity services and other things that make a smart product tick. When they decide to end support for certain products, sometimes they do the painfully right thing by killing the cloud service, effectively bricking (making as useless as a brick) those products.
It’s painful because customers have spent money on the now-obsolete product, but also time and money on integrating with other connected devices. Why can’t the manufacturer just let the products continue to work, without adding new features or even providing tech support? Read more…