Whether an ocean-based sensor, a collar for tracking wild animals, or a smart baby monitor, advances in connectivity and hardware have led to IoT adoption in nearly every corner of our lives. But along with growth comes the risks—some avoidable, some not—that threaten to impact development, disrupt device operations, and impair regular maintenance. 

When connected devices were a novelty, these impacts could be considered minor. But now, given IoT ubiquity, developers...