The UK government has opened bidding for £200,000 of funding to research whether popular smart devices used by businesses have robust enough security.
With thousands of businesses reliant on enterprise Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, such as printers and scanners, security cameras, and room booking and signing-in devices, research will look to uncover any vulnerabilities that may put sensitive data at risk from cyberattacks.
The research, part of the UK’s £2.6 billion National Cyber Strategy, comes after a 2019 investigation by Microsoft found Russian hackers had been able to compromise conference phones and office printers.
“Technology played a pivotal role in keeping British businesses going during the pandemic, helping the pivot to hybrid working and boosting productivity ever since,” said Cyber Minister Julia Lopez.
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“This research will ensure we have the right measures in place to protect our economy and keep our offices and workers safe from cyber security threats.”
The successful bidder will be awarded up to £200,000 to test popular devices and help identify if current security measures and guidance, such as international standards and NCSC device security principles, are robust enough to protect businesses from evolving threats.
The National Cyber Strategy seeks to ensure the UK is protected from cyber threats and grow the digital economy.
In January 2022 MPs said they would be debating a new law to help keep consumers’ phones, tablets, smart TVs, fitness trackers and other devices secure from cybercriminals.
