More than a third of UK consumers do not know how to secure their connected devices

A survey of over 6,000 UK residents by BullGuard has found that 72% of UK consumers would not know how to protect Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

The report highlights the fact that the IoT is on the path to become ubiquitous and that consumers have serious security concerns with regard to connected devices, with over a quarter of consumers are planning to purchase IoT devices in the next 12 months.

The survey found that 34% of respondents had already been on the receiving end of a security incident or privacy problem in the past, with 66% being 'very concerned' or 'highly concerned' about potential hacking and data theft aimed at their connected devices. 78% of consumers are worried about security risks such as viruses, malware and hackers, while 66% were concerned about data collected by device manufacturers being inappropriately used or stolen. 57% of the respondents are also concerned about breaches in privacy while 22% of consumers with advanced technical skills are not confident about keeping ensuring the security of their connected devices.

In a recent testimony to the US senate James Clapper, the US director of national intelligence, said: "In the future, intelligence services might use the [Internet of Things] for identification, surveillance, monitoring, location tracking...or to gain access to networks or user credentials."

BullGuard CEO, Paul Lipman, said: “Most of us have been working with internet connected devices such as computers, smartphones and tablets for some time, but the Internet of Things is changing our perception of personal security, for both ourselves and our data.

“It's not just those who consider themselves 'technophobes' that have these concerns - tech savvy users are saying the same. Consumers are clearly not equipped to handle the myriad of security risks presented by connected devices,” he added. “With devices such as security cameras, alarm systems and door locks now being connected to the internet, physical security is becoming as much of a consideration for consumers as data security. Keeping these devices secure is absolutely imperative.”