Technology: Security Vs. Convenience
The future of our homes will be a place where gadgets and appliances are all controlled remotely. The same is very likely for our workplaces too!
An ever increasing list of appliances including central heating, sound systems, thermostats, locks, lights, and surveillance cameras can now be controlled using smartphones – a concept that is often called ‘The Internet of Things’.
Rather than having to manually operate devices like your coffee maker and vacuum cleaner, you can now use them remotely from your phone or tablet, wherever you happen to be. The convenience of these innovations is incredible.
Innovators and entrepreneurs are aggressively working to create and develop products that embrace this new wave as we watch the internet as we know it today begin to transform. As technology becomes more integrated into our lives the internet of the future will subsequently mature to be more of an experience rather than a tool.
The International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts approximately 32 billion objects will be connected to the internet by 2020 and these objects will produce ten percent of all data generated worldwide.
Whilst the innovation and convenience is exciting there are huge concerns that data security isn’t at the level it needs to be.
Hewlett-Packard (HP) recently conducted a study to test the security of ten different internet-connected devices. In this survey they found these devices had an average of 25 vulnerabilities and nine out of ten devices contained personal data including, in some cases, credit card details.
As we think about these data-sharing and internet-connected devices the future of technology seems a little chaotic and frightening. As technology leaders continue to create the next big thing the IT asset disposition (ITAD) industry prepares for a new era of devices that will be received for end-of-life management. As we explore new processes for responsible reuse and recycling one thing we know for certain is security considerations are going to affect a much wider range of devices, and will become more critical than ever.
“If you would like to discuss you’re data disposal requirements with a member of our team, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.”
Craig Smith
Managing Director