How many devices do we have connected to the network? If we think about it, only a few years ago it is normal that we had only one computer. Not even mobile phones had Wi-Fi networks. However now this has changed enormously. We have connected all kinds of devices, such as televisions, smart bulbs, video players, tablets … Are we really sure? According to a report that we echo, there is an excess of confidence in the equipment connected to the network and that is a problem.
Overconfidence in connected equipment
As we say, there are many devices that we have connected to our network. The truth is that many vulnerabilities or flaws can arise that compromise our security and privacy. Now, in a report from the NCSA, they warn of the danger of being too trusting of the devices we have in our network.
They have conducted a survey of 1,000 people divided into two groups according to their age. 81% of users between the ages of 18 and 34 have a moderate to high confidence in their connected computers. They believe that these devices are safe enough not to have any kind of problem. The second age group, between 50 and 75 years old, 77% think the same. Therefore we can say that there are no real differences according to age.
Now, the problem comes when, beyond that trust in the devices, users do not look for updates or connect to insecure networks. In this sense, the NCSA report indicates that 36% of users between 50 and 75 years old never or very rarely look for updates for these connected equipment. In addition, 54% of users between 18 and 34 years of age say that they connect to unprotected networks to enter bank accounts, company servers or email.
Lack of control over privacy features
But beyond this, 50% of users indicate that they have never disabled unnecessary features of the manufacturers and that they can compromise privacy, such as location tracking or data exchange. Even 44% say that they accept messages from applications without thinking when they ask for access to the location or contact data.
From the NCSA they indicate that all this is due to the excess of confidence in the devices that we are using to connect to the network. They ensure that users do not take the necessary measures such as checking for updates, controlling the data they share with other computers or taking care of the way they connect to public networks, due to the fact that they are too confident that nothing bad can happen with their equipment.
However, the reality is that any device connected to the network can suffer vulnerabilities. Those security flaws could be used by hackers to carry out their attacks.
This survey also reflects an interesting fact, and that is that older people are more reluctant to connect to sensitive applications when they are on a public network, as well as they also assume less risk when downloading applications than younger people.
In short, this NCSA report tells us that there really is an excess of confidence in the devices that we have connected to the network . And now we ask a question: do you frequently check that all your equipment connected to the network, such as a television, an ebook, a video player, are always updated and have all the patches available? We already gave some tips to protect home devices.