A new risk? Smart devices in the workplace.

A new risk? Smart devices in the workplace.

It does not seem that long ago since Amazon Alexa was considered brand new tech but the reality is that the Alexa is now 5 years old (original release November 2014).

Since then smart devices have increased in popularity and have even entered the workplace.

This article will help outline some of the risks posed by smart devices with the hope of making you and your workforce aware of what hidden threats are posed by these devices in the workplace.

First off let’s break down what types of devices we’re talking about here:

Smart Plugs

Smart Cameras

Speaker Devices

CCTV Systems

Door Entry Systems

There are many brands but one thing’s for sure, they are extremely useful in day to day living.

So much so that they’ve started entering the workplace and your office or workspace may have some of these connected to the corporate wifi.

A rouge user that is attempting to solve a problem but in reality is actually opening a hole in the corporate network.

Whilst it may not seem like a major concern. All it takes is a single flaw in any of these devices to allow cybercriminals with a way in.

These devices differ from a Windows or Mac-based PC connected to the corporate network.  Regular PCs & workstations are continually kept up to date with the latest patches.  That’s one of the reasons you pay an IT firm to maintain and manage your IT infastrucutre.

What’s the fix for securing these smart devices?   A complete network audit and regular network scanning of the internal network.

This is something that can easily be added to any IT managed service but is only now coming into focus as smart devices become more popular.

Take the recent incident where someone hacked a Ring camera and was listening in to a child’s activities in the home.  Whilst this story was overhyped in the media, what would the outcome be if something similar happened in your office.

Trade secrets, confidential information or the loss of client data.  The risk posed by these devices is worrying but only when you use your imagination.

Somewhat similar to house insurance, protecting your corporate network against cyber threats is only deemed necessary after the fire.

For a complete cyber risk assessment of your network and IT infrastructure please get in touch with us.

‍