Who should be worried about IoT security? It turns out, everybody.

A recent article on Wired.Com sounded only the latest alarm in the Internet of Things/botnets security crisis. Whether you are a user, developer, digital marketer, or corporation, everybody should look carefully what they connect onto their networks and into their lives with a mind to how they could be hacked.

Truly, connected devices offer an exciting new frontier to digital marketers: enhanced experiences for customers, new levels of data granularity for marketers, and new ways for products and brands to connect into peoples' everyday lives. From geofencing for targeted marketing and sales attribution, to automation of mundane tasks (why should I walk all the way to my thermostat to change the temperature?) to new modes of search through voice-connected devices, the possibilities seem endless.

So what could be the problem? Apparently, a lot. The billions of connected devices (yes, that's billions with a "b", and we are on track for 20 billion connected devices by 2023) work on a patchwork of unique, propriety operating systems. Unlike more widespread systems like Windows, Android, or iOS, it is very difficult to anticipate, write, or update antivirus software for every device in circulation. Even with the increased standardization and security improvements in recent devices, the Wired.Com article estimates that extant flawed devices will remain in circulation for decades before they are gradually replaced.

This means that as a part of your data security management, any device that you (or your company) connect to should be regularly monitored for vulnerabilities, and should receive regular security updates. Anything could be suspect, from refrigerators, to smart bulbs, to my personal hellish nightmare, a German doll named Cayla with cameras and microphones designed to spy on you and your family.

Don't think that your customers will blame you for a hacked third-party device?
They will. (Target's massive 2013 credit card breach came in via a connected air conditioning system).

Long story short: IoT is here to stay, and is growing, but we need to be careful and vigilant as we adopt it.