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We are entering an era in which cybersecurity is more important than ever, including in the growing robotics market. Hacking a computer could result in data loss or theft, but taking over a moving robot could be dangerous to whomever it interacts with.

Cybersecurity and robotics go hand-in-hand as computers are the brains behind these machines. In response to these new potential security threats, the computer IT industry is increasing the demand for more specialized expertise in computer system and cyber security. Security professionals, particularly those with a cybersecurity degree, are trained to minimize these threats and become leaders in advancing robotics and technology.

Here are a few areas in which computer IT plays a key role in robot security.

Drones

Airplanes, and the increasingly popular drones, are operated by automated systems, meaning they are mainly controlled by technology outside of the actual aircraft itself. Airplanes, luckily, have pilots who can take over manually if the system is hacked or faulty, assuming the override isn’t too severe.

Drones, on the other hand, are unmanned. This means that if they are hacked, there is very little a technician can do to take back the controls. It’s estimated only 30 percent of the military’s drone systems use fully encrypted transmissions, and if hacked, these could potentially be used for attacks or spying.

Household Robots

Engineers continue to build robots to improve our home life, from household security and cleaning to controlling appliances and tracking our household activities. Without proper security, personal information could be leaked from these computer systems. This invasion of privacy could result in technological paranoia and leave people feeling unsafe in their homes.

Surgical Robotics

Thanks to surgical robots, doctors are able to operate on patients from anywhere in the world. These remote surgeries are growing in popularity and changing the lives of patients with urgent medical needs. However, these technologies also pose a huge threat to patients if encryption and authentication systems aren’t used. In this scenario, patients could be exposed to faulty medical equipment and increased risk of life-threatening complications.

The more we rely on machines to carry out human functions, the more important security becomes in protecting these systems. Computer IT and cyber security professionals are our greatest defense for keeping robots safe to use and minimize security breaches.