Why Security Firms Are Well Placed to Exploit Home Automation Boom

To prepare us for his upcoming IFSEC talk, Iain Gordon, MD of smart-home integrator GES Digital,  shares his views on the future of home automation and tells us why security installers are well-positioned to take on this new market.

IFSEC Global: How do you see the internet of things [IoT] evolving over the next five years?

Iain Gordon: IoT will continue to grow as the end user becomes more aware of the concept and the benefits of being connected. Products will continue to advance unabated, standards will be ignored and the lifespan of devices may well shorten as a consequence.

IG: What are the security implications of this rapid change?

Iain: Security implications relating to IoT are ever present. Secure routers at the entrance to homes and commercial spaces will become more important and the IT industry will almost certainly meet these needs as IoT grows.

However, the very nature of hackers is to disrupt and there is no fix for persistence.

IG: And how do you see the smart home market changing?

Iain: The uptake of the smart home will advance over the next five years as technology and providers become more commonplace. Expectation is already at an all-time high and as long as the economy stays buoyant, the consumer will expect and be prepared to pay for solutions.

IG: How safe are smart homes?

Iain: Smart homes are, technically intrinsically, safe. All certified KNX components used now are tested to destruction, have long lifecycles, and components are manufactured to the highest standards.

IG: So the security risks have been overhyped then?

Iain: Security risks are always present in systems which are connected to other systems outside of their own domain. In a residential situation, someone hacking your system and changing your heating set points and switching lights on and off is possible, but to what end would this benefit the hacker?

If you have not paid your bills or agreed a final account, it may be the integrator who does this, but there is no real world kudos for a hacker hacking the house on Acacia Crescent. It may be a different story if you’re in the media spotlight or a political figure though.

IG: How do you boost the security of your connected home?

Iain: Secure connection to the internet is absolutely possible. Many devices have no visible security and I have yet to have my blu-ray player hacked after seven years online. Sensitive systems, such as KNX, may be a bigger fish for a hacker, but again, secure routers, good ISP provision and decent antivirus software should see off most hacks.

IG: Is the industry doing enough to collaborate when it comes to security and IoT?

Iain: The impetus of the hacker is to work around all known fixes preventing entry into a system. The IT industry is making constant headway against hacking.

The control sector has new devices which will fully isolate, with 128 bit encryption, the interface between the IP world and the KNX world.

IT experts work within the control sectors for this purpose alone so collaboration is strong.

IG: What advice do you have for traditional security businesses who would like enter the smart-home market?

Iain: Smart homes are on the up and this is a sector with huge growth potential over the next 20-30 years. Systems are similar to advanced security systems and programming is no more complex than these systems. Also, consumer worries about family security generally can easily be addressed with some or all elements of a smart-home system.

IG: Is it a good move for security installers to look at smart homes? Or are there other professions better suited to take on this new market, like electricians? 

Iain:  All related trades could benefit from offering smart homes. We are an electrical contracting specialist who have been involved in controls for 19 years. Access to clients is the biggest hurdle and security companies generally have large databases of potential clients in use already.

IG: What will your session at IFSEC be about? Who should attend and why?

Iain: My session at IFSEC will be about the potential benefits of offering smart-home solutions using KNX as a platform.

I will present the history of KNX and its future along with practical examples of installations and some indicators on the financial benefits of offering control systems.

Iain Gordon will take part in the panel discussion on ‘IoT security and protecting smart homes’ at IFSEC International 2016.

Other panelists include Adam Stroud, CEO of Paxton, Sarb Sembhi, chief technology officer and Acting CISO, Noord-Group, and James Willison, vice chair, ASIS European Convergence/ESRM committee. They will focus on whether the industry is doing enough to collaborate on secure end-to-end solutions for IoT and home automation.

This panel discussion will take place on 21 June, 14.00-14.50, in IFSEC’s Smart Theatre at London ExCeL. Register for your ticket today.