Security Concerns In Home Automation And The Internet Of Things (Research Paper Sample)

SECURITY CONCERNS IN HOME AUTOMATION AND THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT)
Name:
Class:
Instructor:
Institution:
Date:
SECURITY CONCERNS IN HOME AUTOMATION AND THE INTERNET OF THINGS
The Internet of Things
The first device to be connected to the World Wide Web was the Coke Machine by technicians at the Carnegie Mellon University back in the early 1980s. Anyone who desired a drink could, therefore, check the product availability and status of the machine before actually walking towards it (Kennedy, 2014). This is considered the start of the ‘Internet of Things’.
The term ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) itself denotes a scenario where machines and gadgets have the ability to collect and process data and make it available on the internet, all without human intervention (Kennedy, 2014). The term itself was first used in the late 1990s to refer to the rather abstract idea of giving over computing power to lifeless machines and objects. (Hvistendahl, 2012).
All manners of ‘Things’ can be connected; from smartphones, coffee machines, cameras, thermostats, even to animals, virtually anything has the capacity to become part of the Internet of Things. This interconnection makes it possible to carry out tasks remotely, and it has the potential to make life much more convenient and easy. Consider, for instance, being able to arrive at your office to a hot cup of coffee because your coffee maker sensed your proximity and started the brewing process.
It is estimated that about 9 billion devices – more than the world human population – are currently connected to the internet (Costigan & Lindstrom, 2016) with 127 new connections being added every second. By the year 2025, approximately 1 trillion devices are projected to be connected to the internet (Costigan & Lindstrom, 2016).
Why the Internet of Things?
There are three fundamental reasons why policymakers and implementers should consider IoT. Firstly, IoT has the capacity to contribute significantly to the growth of the economy of any country. Energy efficiency, operations enhancement are just a few of the numerous ways through which IoT can be harnessed to boost the economy (Costigan & Lindstrom, 2016).
Secondly, IoT can and does indeed find application in multiple fields of the economy. Talk about healthcare, transport, public service, infrastructure, among several others. And since it achieves the connection of these sectors, it helps to spread the efficiencies across the board, meaning that service delivery will be greatly enhanced (Costigan & Lindstrom, 2016).