VDC Research Releases Results From Survey Of Consumer Concerns Related To M2M Device Security

Leading M2M Research Firm Sites Divide in Security Concern across Devices

VDC Research (VDC), a leading M2M market intelligence firm that provides engineering leaders and technology suppliers with research-driven insights to help guide their product development and technology strategies, recently announced results of a recent research study on consumer concern over connected device security.

Rising consumer interest in device security is being driven by a growing awareness of the risks to personal safety and security created by connectivity. As today’s devices and systems grow more complex and networked, the threat is growing exponentially. Left unprotected and unmanaged, VDC’s research shows that consumer devices are exposed to a range of security threats targeted at operating systems and applications, often delivered through unauthorized connections. Unfortunately, the gap between customer interest in security and the actions taken by engineers to address these concerns is not limited to consumer devices.

Consumer Security Concern Study
In a recent global study, VDC’s findings show that already 68% of surveyed consumers worry about security when using a smartphone. However, only 23% of respondents were concerned with the growing threat of security breaches resulting from connected medical devices. While this illustrates a lack of understanding of security issues on the consumer side, OEMs developing safety-critical devices must continue to reevaluate their development practices.

Chris Rommel, Vice President of M2M and Embedded systems research commented on this study, “Security is no longer just a consideration for military and aerospace systems, but also consumer devices. Unless these OEMs can create a secure framework for their M2M initiatives, they will put their organization and the general public in harm’s way.”

For over two decades, VDC has been conducting research and analysis of the global M2M market. Born out of its embedded engineering research practice, VDC Research surveys and interacts with thousands of engineers from all vertical markets including automotive, manufacturing and medical devices, to gain insight into their project requirements, solution selection criteria, preferences and trends with emphasis on security and the Internet of Things.

About VDC Research
VDC Research is the leading M2M-focused market intelligence firm that provides engineering leaders and technology suppliers with research-driven insights to help guide their product development and technology strategies. Based on a unique blend of quantitative and qualitative analysis that offer granularity and breadth of coverage, VDC is organized around four practice areas, each with its own focused area of coverage. Together, they enable a unique 360-degree perspective of the opportunities and challenges resulting from The Internet of Things and M2M. For more information, visit  www.vdcresearch.com.