Securing the Internet of Things: The Product Manager’s Imperative

Product managers hold a pivotal role in safeguarding IoT ecosystems. Yet, security often remains an afterthought, mistakenly delegated to others. It’s time to shift this narrative and embed security into every stage of product development.

I delivered this talk at Product School’s ProductCon 2018 in Silicon Valley, aiming to highlight a critical, frequently overlooked element: product security.

In many organizations, learning about security is confined to specialized events, creating a silo that undermines the overall resilience of IoT offerings.

Securing the Internet of Things is more than a technology challenge. It is a product‑management challenge.

What I Covered

• Security as the paramount challenge for IoT products today
• The far‑reaching fallout of weak IoT security, from data breaches to end‑user harm
• Case studies of compromised devices disrupting transportation, energy, agriculture, and water systems
• Why connected products demand a new security mindset compared to non‑connected devices
• An updated Venn diagram positioning product managers at the nexus of UX, technology, business, and security
• Three actionable strategies for product managers to weave security into their core responsibilities

Watch the Talk (18 minutes)

As threats grow, product managers can no longer delegate security to others. It is an intrinsic part of delivering a safe, reliable product.

As attacks proliferate, we can’t shrug and assume it’s someone else’s job.

Related Resources

• IoT Courses including the PM’s Role in Securing Your Product
• How to Protect Your IoT Product from Hackers
• Podcast: How to Plan for IoT Security

P.S. If you found this talk valuable and believe security is a core PM responsibility, please share it with colleagues and on social media.