IoT Security – Challenges & Solutions for Enterprise

July 16, 2022
Views 3,820
5 min read

We live in a world of ever-growing technological innovations, and with each innovation comes new opportunities for us to enjoy a better quality of life.

Yet, with these innovations also come new threats to our safety. In the past, many of our daily routines had remained relatively unchanged for a long time. However, today we live in an era when technological advances have become a part of our daily lives.

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We rely on computers and other digital devices to carry out the simplest tasks, such as turning on the light at home or starting the car. As they are becoming more and more pervasive in our daily lives, so are the risks associated with them.

This is where IoT security steps in to protect us from such risks while enabling us to continue enjoying the benefits that technology brings into our lives.

Why is IoT Security Important?

Using IoT security tools allows you to identify potential risks occurring in your network and help find vulnerabilities in your solution.

Many companies have already begun using this practice because they have witnessed a rise in hacking and cybercrime. Hacking has become so common – it can happen to any company or individual for free or for money, depending on what the hacker wants. If you develop an IoT solution, you must use this practice because it will give you more confidence in knowing that your data is safe.

Some people might think that the risks of being hacked would be more than compensated for in the convenience of having a networked device. However, this is only true if the device is connected to a secure and well-protected network.

IoT Security Challenges

The problem with IoT security vulnerabilities is that they are difficult to patch and fix. This means that once a vulnerability has been discovered, it will stay in any devices that have not already been fixed.

This can lead to hackers taking over the devices and using them for purposes, such as stealing personal information or spying on users.

It’s important to remember that it isn’t only criminals who might try to take advantage of these vulnerabilities. The agencies may also use the devices to damage other people’s networks or devices or even try to make money by blackmailing people with malware or forcing them to pay the ransom.

It was built on efficiency and cost savings, not security. To think that IoT will be the same as traditional IT systems is dangerous because it’s not with IoT that criminals will go for the weakest link; it will be where they can do the most damage.

In this case, criminals were looking for smart devices that were accessible, had weak passwords, and didn’t have any form of encryption. Using default passwords and IP addresses saved them time and made it easier to take control of these devices. The ease at which these hackers took control proves how easy it is to gain access to an IoT device and how simple it is to cause havoc when you do.

The biggest risk right now is that many people don’t even know how vulnerable their devices are until they are hacked, but there can be terrible consequences when they are hacked.

Consequences of IoT Attacks

Undoubtedly, the industrial internet of things (IIoT) has become a reality. The number of IoT devices will continue to increase rapidly, as will their use in enterprise IT environments. With that growth, increased cyber threats will come, and organizations need to be prepared for the consequences of falling victim to an attack.

The problem is their ability to impact individual systems and their ability to affect multiple systems at once. Combining IoT devices with a well-executed phishing attack can lead to what Bruce Schneir calls “cascading effects.” Cascading effects are unpredictable consequences with serious repercussions.

For example, if hackers could compromise a power plant’s connectivity, they could potentially tamper with the controls and cause a cascading effect of physical destruction. This may result in fires or explosions that could have devastating consequences for people and property. These attacks can impact physical systems, which means they can have far more severe consequences than those affecting virtual systems alone.

Must Read: Smart Metering – A Digital Approach of Connected Devices

How can Enterprises Avoid It?

The Internet of Things (IoT) has been heralded as the next great innovation in the tech industry. But, it’s also been reported that large-scale IoT botnets are coming soon.

What’s the solution? One might be encryption, which will help secure IoT devices, but another might be security patches. Patching IoT devices is the best way to fix vulnerabilities and prevent attacks, but users often fail to take action promptly.

The following are eight ways to improve the security of your IoT gadgets:

Give them a unique password.
Patch them regularly.
Make sure they don’t have default passwords.
Don’t use them for sensitive tasks.
Turn on remote updates if possible.
Use strong passwords.
Turn off services you aren’t using.
Only buy a secure one.

Conclusion

The internet is an integral part of our communication, information sharing and entertainment. It has become a part of our daily lives that we often don’t even see anymore. On the other hand, IoT is still evolving, and there are many security risks associated with it that need to be addressed. This is why there is such a big emphasis on IoT security now more than ever before.

Must Read: Understanding Communication Models in IoT

The Internet of Things brings about many advantages for us, but it must be protected against cyber threats to do so. Without security measures being put in place to counter such threats, the IoT could become a threat for us instead of its originally intended purpose – making our lives easier.

Published by Airtel Business