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Since we are slowly, but surely, entering the Internet of Things era, also known as the smart home or connected home, some concerns about security are, naturally, going to be raised. Anti-malware software and hardware for personal computers has been in development for years, and there are plenty of solutions out there right now, but none such can be found for the new kids on the block – the smart TVs, smart lamps, IP cams, internet-connected thermostats and baby monitors, door controls, et cetera appliances, which comprise the so-called Internet of Things. It is in no way improbable that parties with malicious intent will start making attempts at gaining access to these items, be it to play some ill-tasted pranks, or worse – try to gain access to one’s home.
Enter CUJO – a first-of-its-kind smarthome defender. It’s a cute little box, which connects to your home router and watches for any unwanted activity going through the “e-door” to your home. CUJO employs a machine-learning algorithm, which allows it to easily distinguish between the regular activities of your connected devices, and possible outside threats. The little defender communicates with you via a dedicated phone app (Android and iOS), sending alerts, displaying current connection statuses, and giving you remote control over its functions.
CUJO is an easy plug-and-play, which is ready to work as soon as you connect it to your router. As per the manufacturer’s promise, it is instantly compatible with any smart item in your house, be it a camera, alarm system, thermostat, door lock, TV, gaming system, et cetera. New devices are not barred and do not need to be granted special permissions to gain access to your Internet – rest assured that if a friend comes by with their own tablet, they will have no issue connecting as usual – CUJO does not monitor the actual devices, rather, it inspects network activity and watches for anything trying to attack connected items in your home.
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The service is subscription-based and the manufacturer promises that CUJO will be continuously updated without it interrupting its work. The little defender is equipped with a 1 GHz, dual-core Cavium CPU, 1 GB of static RAM, and two 1 GB Ethernet ports. Its behavioral analysis engine is backed up by locally-ran algorithms and a cloud database, the connection to the latter being protected by “bank-level security”.
As far as how to get your hands on one – CUJO is about to get its own crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, launching on the 15th of September, with the early bird price being as low as $49 for a single device and a 12-month subscription. Once any promotional service is over, fees will cost $8.99 per month, or $89 per year. Aside from the various Indiegogo tiers, you can also opt to participate in CUJO’s referral program, which can get you a free CUJO with 1 year of service if you manage to refer buyers, who collectively make a $200 contribution to the project. Even if you don’t hit the minimum, any referral gets you in the pool for a Smart Home Starter Kit sweepstakes.
If you wish to be notified when the Indiegogo campaign goes live, or want to be in the loop on CUJO-related news and events, do visit the manufacturer’s website (linked below) and enter your e-mail.
Find out more at the Cujo Indiegogo page!
