Smart devices to get security tuned-up

Hi-tech firms are banding together to make sure "internet of things" smart devices are safe to use.

More than 30 firms, including BT, Intel, and Vodafone, are creating an industry body to vet internet-connected devices for vulnerabilities and flaws, reports BBC News.

It will encourage firms making smart gadgets to think about security as the hardware is being developed.
Consumers could be at risk unless the industry gets better at securing hardware, say experts.

"We need to be careful because if we are not, then we could be sleepwalking into some big problems," said John Moor, from the NMI industry group that represents UK chip makers and has helped launch the forum.

The internet of things is the name given to the growing trend of adding sensors and communications to household objects so they can help monitor a home and be managed remotely.

In addition, many formerly dumb machines used in manufacturing and industry are being hooked up to the net to help firms fine tune their business.

Before now, said Mr Moor, there had been a series of security lapses in which popular consumer devices such as baby monitors were found to be leaking data or were vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

The Internet of Things Security Foundation would address this problem by educating its members about ways to secure smart devices so they were much harder to hack, he said.

"We want to make it safe to connect," said Mr Moor. "That's what we are imploring our members to do."