New security flaws likely with IoT

THE Internet of Things (IoT) will bring a host of security vulnerabilities, many of which haven't been seen before, says Kevin Haley, director of Symantec Security Response. The security specialist said in a report that the millions of new connected devices that make up the IoT can be expected to turn the industry on its head this year, mainly because vendors don't have the same processes in place to patch software vulnerabilities, as compared with the PC industry.

This is because the PC industry is well used to software bugs and holes, and regularly issues patches and updates to fix these. Gadget makers, on the other hand, treat their products as they do appliances, and don't have regular update cycles for software, so these products may be a lot more exposed to hackers, said Mr Haley.

Growing network