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CES 2017: Core power

Las Vegas – Amid the robots and televisions, cyber security company Symantec might have launched one of the most important products at CES.

The company unveiled Norton Core, a new wi-fi router built for the smart home
It comes at a time when Internet of Things devices are increasingly coming under scrutiny about security

Norton Core by Symantec, Las Vegas

The wi-fi router has geodesic design that is meant to be displayed in the home, rather than hidden away, which means it will have a better signal. But beyond the design, Norton – a sub-brand of Symantec – wanted to incorporate security measures expressly for the smart home, and the multiple devices that now connect to a router.

One feature is the Security Score, which like a credit score, measures how secure the house is. If the router detects that a connected device may be vulnerable to attacks, it will quarantine it to a segregated network.

The router is especially relevant considering the range of smart home devices on show at CES and the internet outage in the US in 2016 that was linked to hacked devices. ‘Hackers are now exploiting an array of connected devices as a new means to access personal and financial information,’ said Fran Rosch, executive vice-president of the Norton Business Unit at Symantec. ‘[Norton Core] helps our customers to incorporate security more personally and elegantly into their homes.’

The Big Picture

Although it may not have been the flashiest product on show, Norton Core will prove to be essential as the smart home enters the mainstream and security becomes vital. For more coverage of CES, visit our Briefing and Shows sections.