Introduction to IoT
The Internet of things has been one of the emerging technologies in the last few years. In simple words, its solutions connect mobile phones, sensors, and devices to transform data into much more valuable information. It's a fact that the world is becoming more connected and more reliable on the Internet and smart devices. They are everywhere, from home appliances to manufacturing assembly lines.
In the future, everything will be smart and connected to humans. It means you can control everything you own, home appliances, watches, cars, sensors, etc. Its technologies have already been successfully implemented in many industries to automate and optimize the working process. And now, this future is coming to our homes. Smart homes are no longer a dream for people like it was back in the era. According to a survey, it is estimated that 10% of homes will be smart by 2025 with the help of IoT.
IoT equipped with different sensors, which have their role in interacting with the physical object and collecting information from that internet of things IoT Platform. Click to explore our, IoT Use Cases across Industries
What is the Internet of Things?
Internet of things is when any device is connected to the internet using embedded software. With the help of it, devices become more intelligent, enabling real-time data communication with other devices and systems. It allows users to add valuable device features and optimize processes and operations.
IoT application development enables you to gain more insight into products using analytics and data to create new business opportunities and business models, generate more revenue and deliver improved customer experiences.
What are the key components of IOT?
The key components of Internet of things are listed below:
Hardware (Sensors and Devices)
This is the first component of any Iot system. Sensors collect the data such as temperature, motions, audio, or videos.
Networks (Cloud connectivity)
After the data has been collected, it is shared with cloud infrastructure and stored.
Software (Data preprocessing)
Once data has reached the cloud, the software will preprocess, analyze, and prepare it for useful format. For instance, intelligent heaters will share temperature data, and software will analyze the data and decide whether it's warm enough.
APP (User Interface)
After analyzing the data, it is synced with some user interface, like a mobile app that will notify the user.
What are the application of IoT in Smart Homes?
The way technology is growing at the moment and giving comfort with its services. The world may have smart homes in every city. Currently, there are 10% of smart homes in the U.S only. By 2025, the world would have 10% smart homes, a big number going by the trend.
There are several applications for smart homes that are currently being used. Some of them are mentioned below:
- Lighting
- Safety Sensors
- Security System
- Temperature Control
- Doors
- Kitchen
- Windows
- Home Routines
The role of firewall in Smart Homes
To secure your smart home devices, a firewall is necessary in that case. A Firewall is a network security system that monitors incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. The firewall device is placed between the internet, and the system controls it. It helps the system from external viruses and keeps the smart home appliance safe. The basic architecture of the firewall is described below.
What are the Challenges in IoT Application Security?
Demand for Internet of things devices has increased as the demand for applications are used to control these devices. The primary purpose of these applications is to fulfill the requirements and not to focus on security purposes. It becomes a security issue to keep data or devices safe from malware.
Brute Force
The most vulnerable aspect of any application is its weak login details and credentials, these act as vulnerabilities for brute force attacks and password hacking. Most devices have passwords like root, admin, 1234, etc., because they keep the default password when they receive it.
To overcome this challenge, the user has to change the default passwords. Applications or devices come with a one-time password that has to be changed.
Ransomware
With this attack, a hacker can lock you out if you use a device or live in a smart home. The number of ransomware and malware has increased with the smart device on the internet.
Data privacy and security
Its app uses data for the core, preprocessing, data storing, data transmission, etc., so data privacy and security is the biggest issue in any application development.
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Stages for Developing an IoT Application
To develop an application for intelligent Homes firewall devices, you need to consider behind-the-scenes and, at the same time, robust back-end systems. The backend collects data from sensors and actuators installed in smart homes. And a web portal is needed to administer the intelligent devices.
Build the Applications
Iot app can be built from scratch, or it can be built on a ready-made IoT platform.
Secure IoT app
While building the applications, many things need to be considered to secure the app, secure data, and more. Below are some good practices that should be followed.
- User Authentication
- Data Encryption
- Access Rights Management
- General Security Best Practice
Develop and Test all the components of the IoT Product
Once all the things have been decided, then the development of the app can begin. After the development, the app needs to be tested in several stages
- Security testing
- Performance testing
- Usability testing
- Compatibility testing
- Scalability testing
Deploy
When the app has been tested with IoT devices of the smart home, it can be deployed.
Maintain
After deploying the app, the work is not finished yet. The application needs to be maintained. Fixes issues if facing any, upgrade the security using firewall devices. Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) can be used to secure the Iot app and devices. It prevents cyberattacks.
Conclusion
Iot is an emerging technology at the moment. The world will become more reliant on IoT. 10% of homes will be smart in the world by 2025. So the security of these devices and the application become a big issue. Security and data protection need to be considered when developing its application. When installing smart devices in smart homes, firewalls can be used to secure the network. It will monitor the incoming and outgoing traffic. And will be able to block the sites based on predetermined rules.
- Discover more about AWS Industrial IoT Consulting Services
- Explore here about Top 5 Use Cases of IoT in Manufacturing
