Doug Austin

Almost All of Us Have at Least One IoT Device, But Many of Us Aren’t Protecting Them: eDiscovery Trends

What better time for me to write about Internet of Things (IoT) devices than when I don’t have internet?  My devices are really well protected at the moment!  😉  Regardless, even though almost all of us have at least one IoT device now, many of us aren’t protecting those devices.

NordVPN has published a report (hat tip to Sharon Nelson’s excellent Ride the Lightning blog for the coverage – which has a nice new makeover of the site!) with some interesting findings about how many of us have at least one IoT device and how we do (or don’t) secure those devices.  Here are some notable stats:

  • A total of 7,000 people were surveyed, with 1,000 people from each of the following countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and US.
  • Almost nine out of ten people (87.7%) have an IoT device.  The UK leads the way with almost 95% having one, followed by Canada at 92%, then the US, Germany and Australia at 89% each.
  • Percentages by device: WiFi router/internet hub – 63.7%, Internet connected TV – 57.1%, Game console – 36%, Smart speakers/assistant (e.g., Echo/Alexa) – 28.2%, Fitness or well-being devices (smart watch, fitness tracker, etc.) – 24.6%, Security (including internet-connected door cameras and smart locks) – 16.4%, Smart/internet-connected heating or lights (not a smart meter) – 13.7%, Children’s devices (smart toy, internet-connected baby monitor, etc.) – 9%, Smart/internet-connected kitchen appliance – 8.9%, Health devices (including internet-connected implants) – 6.8%, Other – 1.4%, None – 12.3%.  My household has the first six!  😮
  • About 1 in 5 of UK users (19%) take no action to protect their devices, followed by 17% in the US, 14% in Germany down to 7% in France and 5% in the Netherlands (the two companies that also have the lowest device use).
  • An average of 19.6% of users have VPN on their routers, with Gen Z users at the highest level (29.5%) and baby boomers at the lowest level (11.4%).  Who says we can’t learn good habits from the younger generations?
  • Statista reports that worldwide IoT spending may reach over $1 trillion by 2023.
  • The term “Internet of Things” was first used all the way back in 1999!  Bet you thought it was more recent than that!

Additional stats are available here and the full 21-page report is available here (you don’t even have to sign up to get it!).  Security of IoT devices are becoming more of a concern every day and we’re even starting to see some civil litigation related to them (including this case).

Casepoint

So, what do you think?  How many of you have at least one IoT device?  Or maybe I should ask how many of you don’t have at least one IoT device?  😉  Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by my employer, my partners or my clients. eDiscovery Today is made available solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscovery Today should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.

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