In April 2018 Business Insider reported that a casino was hacked through their lobby aquarium “smart thermostat.” The thermostat gave the hackers a doorway into the casino system allowing them to pull the high-roller database out and up into “the cloud.” Clearly internet security has broadened outside of our computer, laptops, cell phones, and tablets.

What is “The Internet of Things?”

Smart TVs, smart phones, smart thermostats, smart air conditioners, smart home security systems, smart refrigerators, Alexa; the list of things we’re connected to through the internet continues to grow. If you’re a fan of Silicon Valley you may recall how they turned smart refrigerators into their own network.

While that may not be current reality, smart devices are. The Internet of Things (IoT) are all those things we connect to. This functionality has made life more convenient and in a lot of ways safer. I can open an app to see what’s going on in my house right now.

If something’s wrong, I can see it in real time and do something about it. We can now remotely lock our doors, turn out the lights, and turn our home security systems on or off. Ever wonder if you left the stove on? You can turn that off remotely too.

Have you seen the commercial where the husband asks his astronaut wife to unlock the car from space? That is the Internet of Things. It’s great, unless it gets hacked. The more we have online, the more vulnerable we are to cyber hacks.

Does that mean we shouldn’t be online? No. It means we need to be more careful. Protecting your business takes a layered approach. Know what you’re connected to and what those connections are connected to.

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