Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport has today published figures that show almost half (49%) of UK consumers have bought at least one smart device since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Computer Weekly reports such products may appear to offer a vast range of benefits, yet many are highly vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
“Planned new legislation to address this shortfall in device security will force suppliers to tell users at the point of sale for how long their product will receive security software updates and patches. DCMS said it would now also be putting smartphones in the scope of the planned legislation in light of responses to a recent call for public input. It said research had shown up to a third of people keep their smartphones for at least four years, but many brands only offer security updates for two years.
<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">General security remains below par for many smart devices available which possess a huge risk to consumers who often purchase these devices in blind faith with the assumption they will be protected.</p> <p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> </p> <p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, many products are still created with no security in mind due to cost savings or a lack of awareness. As more people rely on these devices with more services now online, it is imperative that these are shipped with not only the right security on board but with the promise of continued support due to the fast-evolving threat landscape.</p> <p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> </p> <p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This new law will force the big technology firms into complying with these standards but there will inevitably remain a number of smart products on the market and second-hand sites which will fall well below the standard we would expect and include potential risks.</p> <p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> </p> <p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is vital that consumers understand the reasons behind this proposal and are equipped with the knowledge themselves in how to keep their devices secure by using unique passwords and multi-factor authentication from the outset.</p>
<p>Consumers are increasingly reliant on connected products at work and home. The Covid-19 pandemic has only accelerated this trend and while manufacturers of these devices are improving security practices gradually, it is not yet good enough</p>