The growing rise of drones with internet capabilities poses a whole new range of threats for cybersecurity.
Drones are becoming more popular with sales reaching over a million dollars last year alone.
While their function might be seen as trivial because consumers are purchasing them for fun and entertainment, the popularity of drones poses new threats to the safety and well-being of people, as well as, the security of cyberspace.
Drones spying and gathering intelligence
There is, of course, the risk they pose to privacy as headlines attest to them being used to spy on neighbors or government facilities, like prisons. It has also been claimed they have been used by sporting teams to spy on their opposition’s training regimes.
In this regard, drones can be used to spy and gather intelligence about a competitor’s activities in almost any area of business.
Mining companies have claimed that drones have been used to spy on their exploration activities.
When you think about it, drones are relatively inexpensive, but can be programed to gather a whole host of information, images and sounds that your competitors would prefer you didn’t have.
Drones being used for good
Drones have been used to drop small parcels into inaccessible areas and locate survivors during natural disasters like floods or earthquakes.
They have even been used to drop water on hard to reach fires.
No one can doubt their usefulness in the areas of rescues and disaster relief.
Drones, the law and cybersecurity
Sadly, however, there are no legal limitations as to what can be added to drones because laws and public opinion can’t keep up with the technology.
Cybersecurity is a growing issue where risks are bound to increase in the coming years.
Right now, companies and organizations need to implement a multi-layered defense program that is designed to protect computers and smartphones from the risk of hacking from internet-connected drones.
That would be a good first step in creating confidence around the issue of cybersecurity and drones.