Funding launched to back research into security of common business smart devices

The UK government has opened bidding for £200,000 of funding to research whether popular smart devices used by businesses up and down the country have robust enough security.

With thousands of businesses reliant on enterprise Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, such as printers and scanners, security camera, and room booking and signing-in devices, research will look to uncover any vulnerabilities that may put sensitive data at risk from cyber attacks.

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.

Cyber Minister Julia Lopez said:

“Technology played a pivotal role in keeping British businesses going during the pandemic, helping the pivot to hybrid working and boosting productivity ever since.

“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. It supports the UK’s objective to take the lead in the technologies vital to cyber power and secure the Internet of Things and connected technologies used by consumers and enterprises.