The Internet of things
The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to the billions of physical devices around the world that are now connected to the internet, all collecting and sharing data. Thanks to the arrival of super-cheap computer chips and the ubiquity of wireless networks, it’s possible to turn anything, from something as small as a pill to something as big as an aeroplane, into a part of the IoT. Connecting up all these different objects and adding sensors to them adds a level of digital intelligence to devices that would be otherwise dumb, enabling them to communicate real-time data without involving a human being. The Internet of Things is making the fabric of the world around us more smarter and more responsive, merging the digital and physical universes.
The Internet of things Threats
Connected devices are creating great experiences for consumers, but they also represent brand new targets for hackers. The Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber criminal activity share two important traits: they are largely invisible to the naked eye, and they surround us at any given moment.
As more organizations use a mix of sensors and sophisticated software applications to create smart homes, smart office environments, and even smart cities, the results often feel magical. Lights come on when you enter a room. A piece of machinery proactively requests an upgrade to prevent breaking down. A retail store automatically restocks a shelf before consumers become frustrated over missing items. These are all ways the IoT makes technology more ubiquitous and seamless.
Unfortunately, the most successful cyber criminals behave in much the same way. Hacking databases, attacking websites, and stealing passwords rarely involves a face-to-face encounter. When technology becomes essential, security issues related to the technology tend to mount. Over time, these issues have transitioned from email to text messages, from desktop PCs to smartphones and now to the IoT.
Security problems with the IoT could be much more dire than anyone imagines today, as the potential targets range from household appliances to almost anything that connects to the internet.
“Imagine the damage that an intentional attack on the electrical grid or other utilities might cause,” the article warns. “Hackers could conceivably shut down entire cities, cause major vehicle accidents, or even put the lives of hospital patients in danger if they were to prevent access to computer networks and data.”
Adoption of Internet of things in E-commerce
With IoT, retailers get greater visibility over the process of order fulfillment, so they can meet the demands of consumers who shop more online.
IoT technology offers ecommerce retailers the benefit of tracking customer orders from the moment they’re placed to the second they reach the customer’s doorstep.
Retailers can now track each piece of inventory via management systems such that they automatically locate the goods regardless of where they are.
Cloud based technologies such as GPS and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) also offer retailers data such as traffic status, weather, location, and personnel identities, making logistics management more efficient.
It also helps automate shipping and delivery to eliminate issues of missing shipments, while optimizing vehicle routes.
Ecommerce retailers like having control over the items going out and coming in of their warehouses to know what is in and out of stock.
With such tools as IoT sensors and RFID tags installed in inventory systems, business operations can be much easier, plus retailers need not hire store managers to physically check merchandise as they get real time information on their stock.
In this way, IoT benefits ecommerce as it collects and sends out fresh and relevant data on the items to the ERP systems.
It also reduces human error in stock taking and ordering/reordering of items.
Additionally, with smart shelves and temperature-monitoring sensors, retailers can not only track inventory, but also check optimal temperatures for items that are perishable and get instant alerts when they’re needed.
