In a recent Wall Street Journal article, cybersecurity journalist Catherine Stupp drew attention to the massive surge in internet-connected devices expected to be in use by the end of 2020. This increase in the Internet of Things, which refers to internet-connected devices ranging from televisions and automobiles to fitness tools and medical devices, presents several challenges to the world of cybersecurity.
The article not only urges manufacturers of internet-connected devices to apply cybersecurity techniques to increase security, but also asks large companies buying devices to incentivize good security practices by only purchasing devices with proper safeguards. The California Consumer Privacy Act, which took effect January 1, 2020, takes a step in the right direction by no longer allowing manufacturers to sell internet-connected devices with weak default passwords. Stay tuned for future developments as cybersecurity races to keep pace with the growth of connected devices.