Whether it's the stories about the low-security Internet Of Things (IOT), or the stories about vulnerabilities aboard airliners running in-flight WIFI from the cockpit, it's not difficult to imagine problems from convenience arrangements that happen via connections that are always on, and that foster connections between stuff that doesn't go through people or devices that we monitor things on (but directly). That was a jawbreaker of a sentence. Lemme put it another way:
The lazy layman that turns on everything that's conveniently wireless is easy to see as heading for trouble if Ivan Ivanovich can get to his "Tax-O-Matic" files via the toaster. But just how bad could it get? Consider that the Information Technology field is chock full of security pros either hobbled by bad budgets and policies, or mediocre to bad in their job performance. Even banks are getting robbed remotely. Considering how badly the PROS are doing at safely running networks, what chance does Joe Sixpack have?
Well, there's probably no hope for the lazy ones since they don't lock their cars, either. Those who give these matters a thought at all, however, have some hope but a sobering realization: we must now be our own Network Administrators - that is, if we insist upon doing things over a network. This means two further things. First, for matters that need a network, one must know basic safe practices about routers, antivirus scanners, backups and such. Second, for matters that only optionally need a network, one should consider a non-network alternative.
Networks make lots of sense concerning computers, gaming platforms, streaming services and the legit sharing of various connections and resources. On the other hand, you can work a To-Do list in non-electronic forms quite easily. Printing out a hard copy of an item can often be avoided, but not always (certain concert tickets are in hand instantly that way, making will-call unnecessary). And as to online purchase alternatives, ever hear of cash paid in person? Sometimes big discounts are offered for that.
I'm no Luddite, longing for a return to the days of Fred Flintstone. But crappy security may make non-networked alternatives increasingly more attractive. After all, Usenet was a technology that served us well for awhile but died in an ocean of spam. Many say that that's now happening to email. If the internet becomes even more of a party line than it already is, it could become a vulnerability as such, rather than a tool.
EDIT: It's a bit untoward to end this post there... for two reasons. First, I think if the 'net becomes more dangerous than useful, it will become so only for the average and casual user rather than the pro. If one uses complex passwords, encryption (VPNs and such) and general common sense, then one should be able to do business. The casual will get bitten. Second, for the casual user, things could get worse as the hardware moves away from separate and recognizable computing devices (like CPUs, drives, desktop computers themselves, hardware firewalls, switches, hubs, routers...) and closer to the smart phone and nothing else. Most of us know someone who has already abandoned the desktop, laptop and home internet connection in favor of just the phone, never mind needing to beg access to somebody else's printer or flash drive when that's needed. Issues of routing, security and such will be even harder for the novice to conceptualize when only seeing colored buttons on a phone... but perhaps I've been too harsh on the learned, who will be likely to recognize annoyances.
