The Internet of things (IoT) has caught both the public’s and corporate consumer’s eye by promising lightning fast, seamless connectivity. Generally speaking, it is the push to connect a wide spectrum of people, processes, and industries through everyday items such as private home security systems, elevators, factory equipment, and, yes, even your office workspace, to the internet. There are three broad categories of IoT where the desire for increased efficiency and reliability along with reducing operational and maintenance costs have a targeted benefit:

1. Consumer IoT: where smart home devices such as your security system, heating and cooling, and even the computer in your car console will be connected.  Think Ring Video Doorbell, Nest Thermostats and Amazon Echo.
2. Enterprise IoT: where thousands of companies have already poured billions of dollars into connected devices and automation. This area has the most mature build-out of connectivity thus far.
3. Government IoT: where countries across the globe are funding the development of smart cities equipped with innovations like street level cameras, road and neighborhood lighting, and meters to provide real-time views of traffic, utilities use, crime, and environmental concerns.

Security remains the biggest concern with IoT as seen with Dyn Cyberattack on Oct 21,2016 where a botnet consisting of a large number of IoT devices infected with the Mirai malware executed a DDoS attack on DNS provider Dyn causing major internet platforms and services to become unavailable.  Many firms fear compromised connected devices could continue to fuel widespread online attacks, and give criminals access to systems and data critical to a variety of services. Faulty or hacked robotic systems could pose a threat to human safety on highways, in factories, or even on the operating room table. Disruption in the flow of data could hurt a company or government’s ability to make decisions that impact bottom lines and livelihoods. It is important to recognize that IoT is not just a buzzword for connectivity. It has already changed the landscape for many businesses, and it promises to be a long-lasting one. Whether it is in government, retail, transportation, advertising, or manufacturing, IoT has plans to change the game in every single industry you can think of.