Safeguarding Enterprises & Individuals In The IoT Era

Uploaded on 2024-07-01 in TECHNOLOGY--Resilience, TECHNOLOGY--Developments, FREE TO VIEW, TECHNOLOGY-Key Areas-Internet of Things

The proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices has revolutionized how we interact with technology, offering unprecedented convenience and efficiency. IoT devices, ranging from smart home appliances and wearable health trackers, to industrial sensors and connected vehicles, enable seamless integration and automation of various tasks, enhancing productivity and improving quality of life and business outcomes.

By providing real-time data and optimizing operations across different sectors, they drive innovation and transform traditional business models.

However, this interconnectedness also introduces significant privacy and security risks that must be addressed to safeguard enterprises and individuals. As IoT devices collect and transmit vast amounts of sensitive data, they become prime targets for cyber-attacks.

The IoT Threat Landscape

Despite the benefits of automatic security upgrades, it is no longer viable to trust any device in the current context. Vulnerabilities in IoT devices can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, and exploitation of personal information. Sensitive information is susceptible to interception as many IoT devices do not encrypt data by default. Thus, IoT devices with unsecure interfaces and no physical security measures may be prone to malware and other cyberattacks.

Additionally, brute-force attacks are a straightforward way to gain access to IoT devices without multi-factor authentication or strong passwords. We are also seeing distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) assaults driven by botnets which have the ability to overload and interrupt unsecure IoT devices. Via physical or identity theft, attackers can obtain access to IoT systems and use unpatched security holes in IoT device firmware and software to impede operations or obtain unauthorized access. Let’s also not forget ransomware attacks which can target devices, particularly those vital for industrial or infrastructure use, and prevent access to the system.

Just protecting networks is no longer sufficient due to the proliferation of IoT devices and increasingly complex attack methods.

IoT and Zero Trust

IoT devices such as cooling systems, smart TVs, and security cameras, can undoubtedly slip through the cracks. To protect against attacks against these devices , it is imperative that organizations utilize a comprehensive Zero Trust strategy that covers all Internet-connected devices and systems across all departments. This entails being clear about which department is in charge of which hardware or system and thinking about areas where operational technology (OT) and even physical security could be strengthened by putting Zero Trust principles in place.

Organizations need to focus on models that safeguard the assets and data that networks are meant to transport. Zero Trust considers every operation as potentially malicious and executes security on an ongoing, case-by-case basis, as opposed to presuming that any device on a network has passed a security checkpoint and must thus be trustworthy.

Organizations must first take an inventory of all of its assets, including IoT devices, as comprehensively as possible in order to properly deploy a Zero Trust approach – by no means will this be an easy task for many organizations, but you cannot protect what you do not know about. This will make it possible to locate touchpoints across resources and enable the creation of security policies that deliberately include IoT devices, as well as the identification of touchpoints with other assets. In large organizations with many assets, the security team should endeavour to create policies and controls that account for the fact that the asset inventory may not be completely accurate or complete.

To properly execute this, though, the industry needs to align on best practices and standards for Zero Trust, making sure that proactive defence of IoT devices against cybercriminals is covered.

Security In The Age of AI

In addition to Zero Trust, there are several cutting-edge techniques and technologies that can improve the security of IoT networks and devices. Real-time threat detection and response can be improved by using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), which improve the ability to identify trends, abnormalities, and possible security risks in enormous volumes of data. AI-driven security solutions for IoT networks can monitor and possibly even control connected devices, which can speed up threat identification and mitigation. It is important to note, though, that AI tools should not be relied upon on their own, and these tools are also susceptible to attacks.

IoT security can also benefit from the decentralized and secure nature of blockchain, with blockchain-based solutions enhancing cybersecurity and safeguarding data. Biometric techniques for authentication, like fingerprint or face recognition, also offer safer and practical security improvements, especially when used alongside strong passwords, adding an extra degree of protection and lowering the possibility of illegitimate access.

While IoT devices bring significant benefits in terms of convenience and efficiency, addressing the associated privacy and security challenges is paramount to fully realize their potential and ensure a safe and secure interconnected environment.

John Linford is Security Portfolio Forum Director with The Open Group

Image: Ideogram

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