Currently the IoT world is a wild west of open devices and insecure access. Given the recent DDoS attack on the eastern seaboard of the US being spawned by such technology, it may be easy to disregard the IoT as a flash in the pan technology without much promise. But to do this would be to discount the benefits the Internet of Things can offer. Using the real time communication power and built in security of XMPP, we at Tigase have developed an instant access box to serve as a unified device for IoT devices while providing easy setup for your internet connected devices.

Consider a home thermostat that is IoT enabled. Currently, the device itself is forward facing using some sort of HTTP page, protected by a simple password challenge. To be able to access this device while outside your home network, you will need to leave this device exposed to the greater internet. Your publicly available IP now has a front door that can be beaten by brute force. Granted, the worst somebody could do in that situation is inflate your HVAC bill for a day until you figure out that 18°C is not an appropriate house temperature. Still, many devices that feature IoT come with very little unified security built in, and even then may have the most rudimentary of security built in.

XMPP can provide the solution; a single device to unify, secure, and provide access to IoT devices in the home.