An apparatus and method are for providing security to a mass storage device using an Internet of Things (IoT) system. For example, one embodiment of a system comprises: a mass storage device to store data; an Internet of Things (IoT) device associated with the mass storage device; an IoT service comprising a database to store an association between the mass storage device and the IoT device; wherein to authenticate and unlock the mass storage device for use with a data processing device, the IoT device is to establish an encrypted communication channel with the IoT service and transmit a unique identification (ID) code to the IoT service uniquely identifying the IoT device to the IoT service; the IoT service to authenticate the IoT device using the unique ID code and to responsively transmit an unlock command over the encrypted communication channel to unlock the mass storage device; and the IoT device to responsively unlock the mass storage device upon receipt of the unlock code.