Fortinet unveils Survey Results of “Internet of Things: Connected Home”

Fortinet has released the results of a global survey that probes homeowners about the key issues pertaining to the Internet of Things (IoT). Independently administered throughout 11 countries, the survey titled, “Internet of Things: Connected Home”, gives a global perspective about the Internet of Things, what security and privacy issues are in play, and what home owners are willing to do to enable it.   

“The battle for the Internet of Things has just begun.  According to the industry research firm IDC, the IoT market is expected to hit $7.1 trillion by 2020,” said Rajesh Maurya, Country Manger, India & SAARC, Fortinet.  “The ultimate winners of the IoT connected home will come down to those vendors who can provide a balance of security and privacy vis-à-vis price and functionality.”

Completed in June 2014, the survey asked 1,801 tech-savvy homeowners, including 750 in the Asia-Pacific countries of Australia, China, India, Malaysia and Thailand, questions relating to the Internet of Things as it pertains to the connected home.  Some of the top findings were:

•    The Connected Home is a reality – A majority (61 per cent) of all respondents believe that the connected home (a home in which household appliances and home electronics are seamlessly connected to the Internet) is “extremely likely” to become a reality in the next five years.  In India, 69 per cent said that the connected home is extremely likely to happen in the next five years.

•    Homeowners are concerned about data breaches – A majority of all respondents voiced their concern that a connected appliance could result in a data breach or exposure of sensitive, personal information.  Eighty-one per cent of Indian respondents said that they were “extremely concerned” or “somewhat concerned”.

•    Privacy and trust are concerns – When asked about the privacy of the collected data, a majority of global respondents stated, “privacy is important to me, and I do not trust how this type of data may be used. India led the world with this response at 63 per cent.

•    Data privacy is an extremely sensitive issue – Relating to privacy, respondents were also asked how they would feel if a connected home device was secretly or anonymously collecting information about them and sharing it with others. Sixty-three per cent of Indians agreed with this statement.

•    Users demand control over who can access collected data – When asked who should have access to the data collected by a connected home appliance, fifty per cent of those in India wanted personal control over collected data.  Around 35 per cent of Indians felt that either the device manufacturer or its service provider (non-ISP) should have access to the collected data.

•    Consumers look to their government for data regulation – In India, 51 per cent agreed that the government should regulate collected data.

•    The next looming battle: secure home routers versus clean pipes – A clear schism appears worldwide when homeowners were asked about how connected home devices should be secured.  In nearly equal proportion were those who replied, “a home router should provide protection”, versus those who said, “my Internet provider should provide protection”.

•    Homeowners are willing to pay for a connected home – When asked, “would you be willing to pay for a new wireless router optimized for connected home devices”, Indian homeowners would pay more; less than 17 per cent said that they would not.