"Dumb" smart devices threaten security

Wearables, smart thermostats and other connected devices pose a serious security threat, experts have warned.

More and more devices are getting connected, but security isn't a priority for manufacturers, leaving users vulnerable, said Hendrik Pilz, director of mobile at security analyst firm AV-Test.

"The users of these devices have to rely on the vendors to secure [them]," he said, speaking at a McAfee conference. "[Manufacturers] focus on the features... but they don't care about encryption of connections."

There's not incentive enough for them to fix flaws, putting the onus on security firms to protect devices - but this is easier said than done.

"People have an expectation of any security company that they will be able to protect any device they have wherever they're using it," added James Schmidt, director of partner product management at McAfee.

"Those devices are connected, talking to each other, passing data back and forward, but some of [them] don't necessarily have the capacity of storing security software," Schmidt said.

Such "smart dumb devices" include fitness trackers, smartwatches, smart thermostats, connected medical devices, and others under the umbrella of the Internet of Things.

Raj Samani, EMEA CTO of McAfee, said solutions to this problem will not be developed and released according to how widely used a connected device is, but according to its relative impact. "Cars and the [electricity] grid are a particular focus. Things like light bulbs, actually, are probably going to take longer," he said.

This article originally appeared at pcpro.co.uk