“We’re building an internet that senses, thinks, and acts. We’re building a world-size robot, and we don’t even realize it.”
—Bruce Schneier 2017[1]
The technology category “connected home” was at the top of Gartner’s hype cycle in 2017.[2] Now, in 2022, most homes are rapidly becoming connected through the Internet of Things (IoT). At the same time, most users have little insight in how this technology works, and what the possible security and privacy risks might be.
IoT is a term used for devices that are connected to the internet, that have sensors and can control or perform some action. These devices are most often controlled via apps on the smart phone or tablet and communicate with cloud services all over the world.
Smart and connected homes can have many benefits: Securing the home with digital locks and surveillance cameras. Maintaining the household using robot vacuum cleaners. Saving power using smart thermostats and electrical vehicle chargers. Allowing elderly people to live at home longer using fall detection sensors and remote medical care.
Together with cybersecurity company Mnemonic, the Norwegian Board of Technology will create an overview of the Norwegian smart home market, and test around 100 phone applications for smart home devices. The aim is to uncover security vulnerabilities and gain insight into how data from smart homes is used.
The project started in January 2022 and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
[1] https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/01/the-internet-of-things-dangerous-future-bruce-schneier.html
[2] https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Gartner-Hype-cycle-for-emerging-technologies-in-2017_fig1_325404387
