The Know Daily - Monday 29 April 2024

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A new study has found that nature conservation works - and we’re getting much better at it. 👏 Researchers spent a decade looking at measures to reduce biodiversity loss - from managing invasive species to breeding Chinook salmon - and found they had a positive effect in two out of every three cases. 

🛜 Smart device security

Tech that comes with easy-to-guess passwords such as “admin” is being banned in the UK, under new laws requiring manufacturers of smart devices to make them more secure.

Go on…
The number of internet-linked devices in UK homes has boomed in recent years, from broadband routers and televisions to doorbells, baby monitors and even fridges. But hackers can use these smart devices to steal private data - and now, the government is introducing world-first laws aimed at reducing this risk.

What do the laws involve, exactly?
Manufacturers will have to make sure any devices that come with pre-set passwords aren’t left blank or easy-to-guess, with users prompted to change any common passwords (so no more “12345”). They will also have to publish information on when they will end support and security updates for older models.

If manufacturers don’t meet these new requirements, they could face fines.

Just how popular is smart tech?
Very popular. According to the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), 99% of UK adults now own at least one smart device, with UK households owning an average of nine connected devices. This means that the security risks have “ballooned” in recent years, said the BBC, with the government saying the new laws should give consumers “peace of mind”. 

If you own a couple of smart devices, Which? offers great advice on keeping them as secure as possible.