Garage door openers, security cameras, and light bulbs are becoming smarter. People are using a combination of smartphones and white noise machines to improve their sleep cycles. After one too many Terminator marathons, you might start to wonder how many IoT devices you really have in your house and your life. But once you know the manufacturers can talk to those devices, your curiosity might turn into disquiet.

But it's not malice, it's security. It will even improve your personal cybersecurity. Here's why:

Your devices need security updates.

The only reason why many of your current devices might not need consistent updates is that there's nothing to update. IoT devices without robust operating systems are vulnerable to any malware and threats that can reach them. And if your central hub of control, like a thermostat, smartphone, or computer, isn't adequately updated, then those attacks can start to reach your core devices. 

But once IoT devices start standardizing with Microsoft's Azure Sphere, they will be better protected. In order to maintain that security, however, the manufacturers and operating systems will need a way to update your devices' security remotely. Since your light bulbs don't have a user interface for easy updates and restarts, an easy access point like the Microsoft's IoT Hub is the most likely answer.

Companies need early information to solve problems.

If the next wave of smart buttons and automatic assistants need a patch, the manufacturers and programmers need an early notice. Crowdsourced data about common problems and crashes, just like on your computer, provide a starting point for problem-solving and prioritizing critical problems. Without some central form of communication, companies won't know when things are starting to go wrong.

Interconnecting your IoT devices with a cloud to edge (and vice versa) communication system isn't dystopian fiction coming to life. It's just the next step in standardizing the Wild West of the IoT. To learn more about Microsoft's IoT ideas like their Azure Sphere and the IoT Hub.