These Smart IoT Devices are Dumb and Making Everyone Cringe

New Smart IoT Devices are awesome but at the same time put our lives at high risk

As mobile software components fall in price, more and more "Smart IoT Devices" and "connected gadgets" are dominating the market. Internet of Things (IoT) devices allow the expansion of internet connection beyond the usual standard smart devices like computers, laptops, smartphones, etc.

These IoT devices are thoroughly embedded with high-definition technology which allows them to communicate or interact over the internet smoothly and can also be managed and controlled remotely when required. Part of the Internet of Things, these questionably intelligent devices claim everything from improved physical fitness to entertaining your children to energy conservation. Not long ago, crowdfunding campaigns for products such as "smart beer mugs" and "smart leggings" have come to light and many well-established companies like Phillips and Samsung have released smart light bulbs and smartwatches.

While many connected devices make life easier but what's more is many of even the most useful IoT devices come with a ton of unintended security and privacy consequences due to a lack of security by design, poorly secured connections, and a lack of consideration or care over how the data produced by them is used and shared.  The article will roast the types of IoT smart devices that are most likely to make security and privacy people cringe. Some are presented below-

IoT Surveillance Cameras: IoT Surveillance Cameras act as a mainstay in our connected and increasingly surveilled lives. These intelligent devices have raised privacy concerns as videos of people in both private and public spaces are uploaded to the corporate cloud, and the security ramifications of IoT cameras are already surfacing.

Smart Toilets: Smart Toilets equipped with a connected camera aim to take care of our health by identifying illnesses and diseases in their early stages. But a study out in 2019 put a number on it, claiming someone in five security pros fears their connected toilets would be hacked.

Smart Speakers: Smart speakers from the likes of Google, Amazon, Apple, and many other manufacturers has become a part of our life. But it arises security concerns as these smart devices have an always-on microphone that connects and sends recordings to someone else's cloud.

Robotic Vacuums: Robotic Vacuums aids comfort in our life but we should not forget that the robotic vacuum that roams people's houses and offices cleaning up the dirt is also mapping the layout of those spaces — and putting that digital dirt back into the vacuum vendor's cloud which carries a risk to get hacked.

Smart Locks: Smart Locks sound pretty cool and convenient to the typical person. But these devices also pave the way for scenarios that would make any security-conscious person's hair stand on end. These IoT devices are notoriously insecure — with research uncovering flaws in firmware, authentication, communication protocols, and more that puts them at risk of hacking by stalkers, burglars, and more.