Securing your data stream on Insurance IoT devices

Technology is the basis of the development of economic sectors, writes guest columnist Brad Smith. Among the fastest advancing technology is insuretech.
​This technology promises to revolutionize the insurance industry and ensure consumers access this important service in an improved manner. But did you know that insuretech is prone to cybercrime? Insuretech firms mainly rely on the personal information of their clients to deliver their services. For instance, the data from a fitness application in your smartphone or the wearable technology will be used by the company to tailor services that are geared towards your needs.
 
Health wearables are an important technology as they help you keep track of important health aspects. More to that, they provide important data that will enable your insurer to create an insurance policy that fully meets your needs. However, wearable fitness devices make you vulnerable to security threats. In the past, health wearables could only record your steps. Modern wearables have the capacity to even record intricate details like your bowel movements. This means that crucial data may fall into the wrong hands thus posing a threat to your overall security. With your data insecure, hackers can not only access your private information but can also change it. So, how can you improve your security even as you use fitness wearables?
 
Most fitness wearables and applications put fitness first instead of privacy. This puts users at risk of being attacked virtually or physically. Fortunately, you can still use the fitness wearables and secure yourself using these steps.

• Avoid using your real name in your profile

Using your name on your wearable profile means that the information recorded can be matched with that in the government systems. This makes it easy for attackers to find you and perform heinous acts. Avoid using your real name and instead adopt an alias. More to that, turn off location and Bluetooth and use strong passwords.

• Review the data the app can access and share

The amount of data shared by fitness wearables is different. Some wearables may only share common data like the steps you took. However, some wearables will even pin your location. By understanding the amount of data that can be shared by your wearable, you will be able to put restrictions on the amount of data that the app can access.

• Update the app

Applications will regularly request you to get an updated version. As much as these constant requests are annoying, they are important. Updates are mainly used to ensure that security flaws are managed. In addition, the updates may mean that there is a new version that is better and more secure. Always take a few minutes to update your app in a bid to enhance your security.

• Use apps that adopt HTTPS

Most apps do not use HTTPS and this is a key reason as to why your personal data is insecure. Fitness apps require wi-fi to share data and in most cases, the data is shared on an insecure server. By using an app that relies on HTTPS, you are assured of enjoying security since your data will not fall on the wrong hands. In case your data does not rely on HTTPS, you should consider finding another app or wearable device.

• Check the accuracy of your data

When personal data falls on the wrong hands, it may be used to create a wrong perception on your health. Changed data can have a huge negative effect on your fitness goals and create an insurance policy that does not befit you. For that reason, always keep tabs on your data. If you notice any inconsistency on your data, it means someone is manipulating it and it is time to get a new wearable or fitness app.
Data is a key driver for insuretech. However, it may also be the downfall of this promising technology. Therefore, it is important that fitness apps and wearables have the proper privacy features that will ensure user data is not used for malicious activities.