UK Plans to Introduce New ‘Internet of Things’ Law

UK Proposes New ‘Internet of Things’ Laws

We’re going to start this one with a little question. How many devices are currently wirelessly connected to your home broadband? – While I could take an educated guess, even my answer would have to be a ballpark figure.

Between tablets, laptops, smart devices, children’s toys, ovens, TVs and other gadgets, however, the chances are that you probably have somewhere between 5-15 setup and connected right now. This does, however, raise something of significant concern when it comes to the security of those specific products.

It only, after all, takes one of those devices to have a chink in the armour for your entire wireless network to effectively be open to exploitation.

In a report via the BBC, however, the UK is looking to introduce new laws requiring the ‘internet of things’ to be far more secure in the future.

What Does This Mean?

As part of the new law proposals, all wifi/wireless devices released in the UK must adhere to 3 key standards. They must;

• Come with unique passwords by default
• State clearly for how long security updates would be made available
• Offer a public point of contact to whom any cyber-security vulnerabilities may be disclosed

These new regulations will come on top of ‘voluntary guidelines’ which the UK introduced last year. These new proposed laws, however, will make security requirements not only far terser but also mandatory.

What Do We Think?

Off the cuff, these regulations sound more than a little silly. When you do, however, start to consider the sheer amount we have in our homes that we connect to our wireless without a second thought, it does warrant pause. I mean, when you connect up a brand new device, do you consider just how secure it is?

If these new ‘internet of things’ laws can help promote security in an area in which we consumers are perhaps a little lazy, it’s hard to really find fault with it.

What do you think? – Let us know in the comments!