It is estimated that Australian households have an average of 11 connected devices, with this figure expected to grow to 29 in 2020. Most of these devices are not protected from network attacks, Web threats, and other risks and provide cybercriminals with new avenues to attack consumers.
Trend Micro Home Network Security (HNS) is a network-connected device and app that offers a new and additional layer of protection for the home network and Internet-connected devices like game consoles, smart TVs, smartphones and tablets, and smart home gadgets.
Tim Falinski, consumer director for Trend Micro in APAC, believes these findings highlight the growing need for strong security across all devices accessing the Internet at home.
“The rise in popularity of connected devices is seeing homes being more connected than ever before. Families are using all types of gadgets to access the internet at home including smartphones, tablets, game consoles and smart TVs, which is seeing kids today connected to the Internet for longer periods of time. While traditional devices such as laptops and home PCs are usually protected by security software, these new smart devices are often forgotten and can be a huge security risk for families.”
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There are risks in owning a smart home and connected devices dubbed “the Internet of Things” or IoT. Risks fall into two categories – internal and external. Internal risks can be controlled by the users or manufacturers, while external ones are outside their control – cybercriminals, power outages, extreme weather, etc.
IoT risks
In the lead-up to Christmas, Trend Micro has released the IoT buyer’s guide for smart parents and guardians as part of its Internet Safety for Kids and Families initiative. This is a simple test that parents can take to know what security factors they should look out for when buying a particular smart toy or kid-friendly smart device. It also outlines practical tips on what parents should do to help better secure their children.
Price and availability
Trend Micro Home Network Security is available in Australia from 7 December, online and at Harvey Norman. RRP $399; price includes Home Network Security station and a two-year subscription.
Trend Micro recommends that Home Network Security should be used in conjunction with Trend Micro Maximum Security for all devices including mobile security for iOS, Android and desktop security for macOS and Windows 10.