The Amazon Echo (from £89) can give you voice control over music, lighting, heating and more. Security features include the ability to turn off the microphone and remotely deactivate voice purchasing
In the analogue world, you’d know pretty quickly if there had been a security breach in your home; because you’d probably be greeted by the sight of a broken door or smashed window. It might be difficult to deal with the fall-out, but at least there’s a tell-tale sign of how to prevent a repeat. In the modern age, the mass popularity of smart home technology, social media and cloud-based data has opened up a new, more hidden threat. But how real is it?
Cyber crime is growing quickly in the UK – but in terms of individual homes being subjected to direct hacking, the numbers are still tiny in comparison to physical burglary. Nevertheless, with more of our lives now online (estimates suggest the average household will have have 15 internetconnected devices come 2020), criminals can access so much more than your personal possessions. Among the areas cyber crooks might target are bank details, credit card information and identity documents.
Cracking the code