Web. A self documenting protocol is it runs a webserver that accepts simple form requests.
"But web tech is insecure!"
If they can't secure a form post, what hope do they have of securing a proprietary api?
Yes, home appliances running webservers would have downsides for management, but that's where routers could add value. It would be trivial for a router to scan port 80 of every device on your network and present a page to pick your devices. That's something I'd even use an app for.
"Port 80? But what about encryption you complete monster!"
How the hell is that cert going to work? Even if they had some magical way to store a cert on the device securely, surely they're going to screw up keeping it up-to-date, or do you want your "it's MY device! Mine!" to depend on an external provider for security?
Just make sure the devices can run on some kind of VPN.
Router can keep them on a VPN and run a proxy with proper SSL for outsiders. Then you only need one device in your network secured to modern standards, all your IoT run in the router's IoT sandbox and all access to them is through a proper SSL-encrypted proxy portal.
There. It would be possible to make that layman-friendly infrastructure. Router detects you connecting to LAN device over port 80 and says "hey, this looks insecure, do you want to move this device to the secure sandbox? You can access all IoT devices securely through my app! Y/N/OMG this is awful never ask me again!"
"But web tech is insecure!"
If they can't secure a form post, what hope do they have of securing a proprietary api?
Yes, home appliances running webservers would have downsides for management, but that's where routers could add value. It would be trivial for a router to scan port 80 of every device on your network and present a page to pick your devices. That's something I'd even use an app for.
"Port 80? But what about encryption you complete monster!"
How the hell is that cert going to work? Even if they had some magical way to store a cert on the device securely, surely they're going to screw up keeping it up-to-date, or do you want your "it's MY device! Mine!" to depend on an external provider for security?
Just make sure the devices can run on some kind of VPN.
Router can keep them on a VPN and run a proxy with proper SSL for outsiders. Then you only need one device in your network secured to modern standards, all your IoT run in the router's IoT sandbox and all access to them is through a proper SSL-encrypted proxy portal.
There. It would be possible to make that layman-friendly infrastructure. Router detects you connecting to LAN device over port 80 and says "hey, this looks insecure, do you want to move this device to the secure sandbox? You can access all IoT devices securely through my app! Y/N/OMG this is awful never ask me again!"