irdetoIrdeto released a new global survey on consumer attitudes about IoT Security, including security awareness, how many IoT devices they have in their homes, importance of protecting those devices, concerns about those devices being hacked, who they believe is responsible for security, etc.

A peek into the report shows that:

  • IoT security is top-of-mind for consumers across the globe – 90% of global consumers believe it is important that a connected device has security built into the product.
  • Awareness of cyberthreats targeting connected devices increases with age -  72% of millennials (18-24 years old) indicated that they are aware that any smart device connected to the Wi-Fi in their home has the potential to be targeted by a hacker, compared to 82% of consumers 55+. This indicates that older generations may be savvier about IoT security or more cautious regarding IoT technology than millennials, potentially leaving this younger generation more open to a cyberattack.
  • Consumers indicated that both end-users and manufacturers play an important role in cybersecurity -  however, only 15% of consumers globally think they are responsible, while 20% feel the manufacturer of the device is responsible for cybersecurity. In China, more consumers than any other country surveyed (31%) stated that it is the responsibility of manufacturers.


Irdeto highlights in its report that today’s connected world needs consumers to be vigilant about security threats, and device manufacturers to have an in-depth defense approach that integrates multiple layers of security into the system, as opposed to the previous model which was very often build, ship and forget.

“While consumers across the globe believe that IoT devices need to have security manufactured into the product to prevent against cyberattacks, it’s encouraging that they also recognize the important role they play in IoT security,” said Mark Hearn, Director of IoT Security, Irdeto. “Today’s connected world needs consumers to be vigilant about security threats. On the device manufacturer side, there must be a better “defense-in-depth” approach to cybersecurity that integrates multiple layers of security into a system. This approach, combined with ongoing security updates to protect against the latest threats, is critical to mitigate attacks targeting IoT technologies.”

Regarding the number of smart devices consumers own, 89% of those surveyed have at least one connected device in their home. In addition, 81% of consumers across the globe admitted to having more than one connected device in the home. India led all countries with a staggering 97% of consumers stating that they have at least one smart device in the home, compared to only 80% of US consumers, the lowest of all countries. The survey also found that the typical number of connected devices in homes across the globe is around four per household.

To combat the threats and many vulnerabilities that hackers will exploit in an increasingly connected world, businesses today must rely on optimal security to protect their brand, revenue and intellectual property, Irdeto said. This starts with understanding how hackers operate and knowing consumer perceptions of cybersecurity and what they expect from businesses supplying connected devices.

“As the number of connected devices in homes and businesses grows, hackers will increasingly look for easily exploitable vulnerabilities that exist in smart devices,” said Jaco Du Plooy, Vice President of Cloakware, Irdeto. “As a result, it is important to disrupt a hacker’s business model by making it difficult to reverse engineer software and leverage code vulnerabilities, thus making it less cost-effective to execute an attack. By enhancing security strategies to disrupt a hacker’s business model, manufacturers are better able to defend against cyberattacks targeting IoT technologies to protect consumers, their brand reputation and revenue.”

To protect against cyberattacks targeting IoT technologies, Cloakware for IoT Security by Irdeto is a battle-proven solution that protects customers’ IoT applications and connected devices from reverse engineering, tampering and circumvention, keeping hackers and cybercriminals out of their products. Irdeto’s multi-layer, ever-evolving security prevents hackers from accessing their systems and running malicious, damaging code. Irdeto’s technologies create a hardened perimeter of security around a company's most valuable assets, ensuring that only the software specified runs on their systems and devices.

By enhancing security strategies to disrupt a hacker’s business model, manufacturers are better able to defend against cyberattacks targeting IoT technologies to protect consumers, their brand reputation and revenue.

For more detailed insights, feel free to download the full report on the survey results here.

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By MediaBUZZ