By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
TechgoonduTechgoonduTechgoondu
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
    • Software
    • Cybersecurity
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
    • Cellphones
    • Tablets
  • PC
  • Telecom
Search
© 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: In a smart home, humans are often the weakest link
Share
Font ResizerAa
TechgoonduTechgoondu
Font ResizerAa
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
  • PC
  • Telecom
Search
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
    • Software
    • Cybersecurity
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
    • Cellphones
    • Tablets
  • PC
  • Telecom
Follow US
© 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Techgoondu > Blog > Internet > In a smart home, humans are often the weakest link
Internet

In a smart home, humans are often the weakest link

Alfred Siew
Last updated: May 15, 2016 at 12:41 PM
Alfred Siew
Published: May 15, 2016
5 Min Read
Source: iStockp
Source: iStockphoto

I got a shock a few weeks ago when I found my two-year-old daughter casually unlocking my Samsung phone.

Needless to say, I had my carefully organised app icons moved all around, with maybe even some pictures deleted along the way.

Taking the phone back from her, I checked why it hadn’t been locked. Fingerprint sensors are a parent’s best friend because your kid can’t unlock a phone with a simple password or drawn pattern if they hadn’t seen you tap or draw one on the screen before.

But here was my Galaxy S7 edge, unlocked with a simple swipe of the screen. It took me a couple of days to figure out why.

A while ago, I had been asked if I wanted to set the phone to automatically unlock when I was at home. Being the geek, I chose okay, of course.

That meant once the phone detected it was in a “safe” location through GPS, it didn’t require a user to unlock the screen via a fingerprint, or anything else.

You’d think a techie should have known better. Yet, sometimes, in the rush to enrol in a new service that promises more convenience, less friction with everyday tasks, we users inadvertently take the smart out of a smart technology.

The convenience offered by the Android interface is handy, but you still needed to see how it would be used by unintended users – toddlers – to understand its impact in the real world.

In the same way, many smart home technologies that promise convenience will do well to be tested thoroughly. Already, we’ve heard how serious a security problem the Internet of Things could pose.

Last week, news broke of how researchers had found a way to unlock doors and set off fire alarms in smart homes by hacking into a range of popular smart home devices.

Yet, while these security holes will be patched up over time, what takes longer to change is perhaps the weakest link – the user. He has to learn to set things up securely, when confronted with various unfamiliar situations.

At a smart home demo last month, StarHub showed how a user could be notified on the phone, say, if a liquor cabinet had been opened.

What if you are on holiday and want a cocktail during the afternoon, when the cabinet is set to alert you that it’s open? An annoying notification turns up on your phone.

There are other situations where users have to know what they are enabling or disabling. For example, when to be alerted when a child comes home from school, or who can access the video conferencing tool at home.

That’s why companies such as StarHub, and indeed property developers and their technology partners, have a business in this new market. The complexity involved in setting up a smart home still requires hand-holding for many users. They need a trusted partner.

Just like the early days of Wi-Fi, when people rushed to set up wireless networks without even changing their passwords or encrypting the data over the air, home owners may be adding smarts to their homes without considering the complexity involved.

And just like before, there is no doubt technology will advance with the security issues addressed along the way.

Early adopters have to consider the risks, however. You don’t want to accidentally unlock the door for a courier or get annoying notifications all the time when you don’t want them.

Or even give access to your phone to a toddler, simply because you’ve enabled something you forgot.

In a smart home, humans are often the weakest link because we are still catching up with what’s possible today.

Google Chrome OS – game changer or loss maker?
Finally, SingPost gets fined, forced to hire more postmen to improve service
Q&A: Finding a new way to learn online in a post-pandemic world
Dead Space 3 descends on Singapore, PC version available for direct download
More connected, converged with the Internet of Things
TAGGED:issuesSingaporesmart homesthink

Sign up for the TG newsletter

Never miss anything again. Get the latest news and analysis in your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Copy Link Print
Avatar photo
ByAlfred Siew
Follow:
Alfred is a writer, speaker and media instructor who has covered the telecom, media and technology scene for more than 20 years. Previously the technology correspondent for The Straits Times, he now edits the Techgoondu.com blog and runs his own technology and media consultancy.
Previous Article Asus’ Swift PG348Q curved monitor promises “panoramic gaming”
Next Article NetSuite promises unified billing, easier accounting as business gets more complex
Leave a Comment

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Stay Connected

FacebookLike
XFollow

Latest News

Grab goes driverless with electric shuttle trial for employees in Singapore
Enterprise
July 10, 2025
Samsung slims down Galaxy Z Fold 7, packs in 200MP camera in major upgrade
Cellphones Mobile
July 9, 2025
Singapore expands AI assurance pilot to test AI agents, detect prompt injections
Enterprise Software
July 7, 2025
In search of fairer deal for content creators, Cloudflare blocks AI scrapers
Internet Media
July 3, 2025

Techgoondu.com is published by Goondu Media Pte Ltd, a company registered and based in Singapore.

.

Started in June 2008 by technology journalists and ex-journalists in Singapore who share a common love for all things geeky and digital, the site now includes segments on personal computing, enterprise IT and Internet culture.

banner banner
Everyday DIY
PC needs fixing? Get your hands on with the latest tech tips
READ ON
banner banner
Leaders Q&A
What tomorrow looks like to those at the leading edge today
FIND OUT
banner banner
Advertise with us
Discover unique access and impact with TG custom content
SHOW ME

 

 

POWERED BY READYSPACE
The Techgoondu website is powered by and managed by Readyspace Web Hosting.

TechgoonduTechgoondu
© 2024 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Terms of Use | Advertise | About Us | Contact
Follow Us!
Never miss anything again. Get the latest news and analysis in your inbox.

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.
 

Loading Comments...
 

    Welcome Back!

    Sign in to your account

    Username or Email Address
    Password

    Lost your password?