FTC Wants More Secure 'Internet of Things' (PCMagazine)

The FTC offered a series of recommendations for how businesses can keep Internet-connected devices secure.

How secure is the Internet of Things, and how do we make sure our Web-connected fridges aren't the next Lizard Squad target?

In a detailed report, the FTC today offered a series of recommendations for businesses to keep Internet-connected devices safe.

And as more fitness trackers are slapped onto wrists and smart household appliances set up on countertops, the IoT provides improved health-monitoring, safer highways, and more efficient home energy use. But, as the Commission pointed out, it also raises privacy and security concerns among the public.

"The only way for the Internet of Things to reach its full potential for innovation is with the trust of American consumers," FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said in a statement.

The agency suggested companies take a more proactive role in security, from implementing extra measures to keep unauthorized users away from personal data, to limiting the collection of consumer information.

Data minimization, the FTC said, makes organizations less enticing to hackers, and provides people with peace of mind.

"We believe that by adopting the best practices we've laid out, businesses will be better able to provide consumers with protections they want and allow the benefits of the Internet of Things to be fully realized."

According to the Commission, more than 25 billion connected devices are currently in use worldwide. And that number is on the rise, as consumer goods companies, auto manufacturers, healthcare providers, and other businesses invest in connected devices.

Today's Commission report is based partly on input from the agency's Internet of Things workshop held in November 2013, as well as public comments.

For more, see PCMag's Internet of Things slideshow