The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of physical objects, sensors, appliances, vehicles, wearables, industrial machines, equipped with embedded computing and communication capabilities. These devices collect data, process it locally or in the cloud, and exchange information with other devices or central services. Unlike traditional computers, each IoT node handles a specific task, runs on limited power, and may be deployed in the thousands. Smart thermostats adjust heating based on occupancy. Wearables track heart rate and alert medical staff to irregularities. Factories use IoT for predictive maintenance and real-time inventory tracking. Connected traffic lights synchronize to reduce congestion. Agricultural sensors trigger irrigation only when soil moisture drops below a threshold. The security challenges are significant. Many IoT devices ship with weak default credentials, lack update mechanisms, and create enormous attack surfaces. The Mirai botnet in 2016 demonstrated this when it hijacked hundreds of thousands of IoT devices to launch one of the largest DDoS attacks in history.
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