The primitive nature of the web ensures that countless devices are connected to it. These devices are now smaller, better connected and more mobile than ever before.

It isn’t so much that the technology or concept has changed. It’s the people that implement, develop, and consume these devices, and how they use them and where that has changed.

Typically, the first mention of privacy and security should to be raised the moment there is mass, normalised consumption.

A new report from Telefónica argues that cybersecurity considerations for the Internet of Things (IoT) are lagging behind the pace of development.

The report, entitled ‘Scope, scale and risk like never before: Securing the Internet of Things’, suggests that the benefits of the IoT must be counterbalanced by caution to avoid the catastrophic risks posed by cyberattacks.

Developed by Telefónica’s cybersecurity and IoT divisions, in association with a range of partner organisations within the cybersecurity field, the report advocates consistent standards and regulations, allied with greater trust between developers and operators, promoting universal understanding of cybersecurity to create a robust defence against potential threats.

IoT security threats are not so different to those in other environments. New security problems have not been created, just evolved from areas such as industrial security, distributed networks and information security. Identity theft threats are still current today, although they now extend to one’s own identification between devices.

CEO of ElevenPaths, Telefónica’s cybersecurity unit, Chema Alonso said: “It’s not just about the privacy of our own data, or the security of our digital identities. Never before has what we do in our physical lives been closer to the digital world. There are almost infinite advantages on offer from the IoT, but we need to move fast.

“Let’s understand the problem before it’s too late, and guarantee we are able to offer a complete protection plan, taking advantage of all the knowledge that has been developed for other scopes.”

Director of The Internet of Things Security Foundation, John Moor added: “If we are not careful we could be sleepwalking into a lot of problems – some of which may not have been seen before.

“There’s lots of focus surrounding the innovation opportunities stemming from the IoT, but there has been relatively little serious discussion on its dark underbelly.”

To read the full report, click here.

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