You’ve likely heard of the Internet of Things (IoT), as it’s effectively taking the digital world by storm. It works by connecting devices around the world and changing the way that certain industries do business, manufacturing, and healthcare among them. As with anything, as the IoT evolves, it also faces its own set of challenges, most importantly the security challenges posed by IoT devices. Understanding the risks is a vital part of finding appropriate solutions and Digital Forensics is a good way to deal with and mitigate them. Keep reading for all of the information you need.
What to Know About the Evolution of IoT
The most important thing to know about IoT is that its development has created an environment in which billions of devices are connected. At the same time, the level at which data can be collected is extraordinary. This is true both at home and at work. It’s now possible to connect your smartphone to your home’s thermostat, your office security cameras to your home laptop, and your tablet to your car’s stereo system, just to name a few. In fact, some experts predict that the number of IoT devices will exceed 30 billion by 2025.
As you can likely assume, there are loads of benefits that go with IoT and the ability to connect devices all over the world. However, the explosion in growth also presents dramatic challenges when it comes to security. Those challenges can be broken down into the following categories:
IoT Devices Themselves
One of the most significant security challenges is the IoT device itself. Without adequate security systems in place, a device is more at risk of being attacked. To close the gaps, devices should be equipped with encryption capabilities and firmware updates.
Data Protection
Most IoT devices do some degree of data collection, with sensitive and personal details being part of it. For that reason, it’s vital to have some system in place that protects that information and reduces the risk of an attack that steals it. That includes banking information and healthcare details. Encryption and access control are two steps for mitigating this risk.
No Standard Security Measures
With the number of IoT ecosystems out there, there’s a distinct lack in standards of security systems. The risk is present in a number of ways, including operating systems, manufacturers, and communication measures that differ among them. The challenge this presents interferes with secure interoperability and opens you to the risk of online sextortion, online blackmail, and other issues.
Cybersecurity Risks
Those who target IoT devices are aware of the gaps in protection and use that knowledge to carry out attacks, including hacking devices, data breaches, and DDoS attacks. Some estimates say that two-thirds of organizations have experienced some kind of IoT incident in the past year.
IoT Security Solutions
Knowing the risks is part of the battle, but what are the solutions? The approach must be multi-pronged and rely on a robust security policy, coupled with the appropriate technology and collaboration among those involved with security measures. With that in mind, several solutions can beef up IoT security.
Secure by Design
Secure by design solutions are those that are implemented during the design of a given IoT device. That means that the security is integrated into the hardware of the device, as well as adding encryption capabilities and tools that prevent attacks and unauthorized access to the device and its data.
Blockchain
Using blockchain allows for secure data storage and transactions on an IoT device. The system is designed to enhance the integrity of data, but also requires authentication proof and utilizes access control to ensure security. With the increased demand for IoT protection, blockchain is predicted to continue growing in the years to come.
Artificial Intelligence
AI gets a bad rap sometimes, but it can be quite useful in some situations. It can be used to scan large amounts of data, working to identify abnormalities and potential threats. Artificial intelligence is a helpful tool for finding possible security issues before they get worse and cause even more damage.
Access Control and Authentication
This includes systems like multi-factor authentication, biometrics, and role-based access control. Each of these tools prevents unauthorized users from getting into an IoT device, thereby protecting sensitive data and reducing the risk of a breach.
Security Collaboration
Working together is an ideal way to offer enhanced security for IoT devices. That includes device manufacturers, stakeholders, cybersecurity teams, software developers, and others. By collaborating, IoT security can be standardized, making it more effective, as well as making it easier to detect potential threats going forward, so they can be dealt with appropriately.
Summary
As with anything else that exists in the digital realm, IoT security is expected to continue evolving and enhanced technologies are expected to develop that address many of the associated security risks. It’s necessary to protect IoT devices and it should be a top concern for companies, meaning that you are likely to see innovative new ways to do so as time goes on.
