How can we trust the Internet of things?

[Commentary] How will we ensure that the Internet of things is safe? We need the ability to establish the true identity of any device that connects to the Internet, and any system or person that communicates with a device.

Without this, the IoT could enable criminals to attack high-value targets such as your home security system or to disable the alarm on your Internet-connected car.

We need to educate the public about the security risks of the Internet of things, and ensure they understand the importance of being able to authenticate connected devices.

I would like to see this cooperation result in a common standard to which every manufacturer can adhere, so that we do not confuse and alienate end users with a variety of different methods of authentication.

[Storey is the product director at cybersecurity firm Intercede, which specializes in human ID security and access control]