What you need to know about IoT and cyber security
With the rising number of IoT devices, which is expected to surpass the 20 billion mark by next year, there are a lot of big changes to anticipate.As we all know, says John Ocampos, the administrator of Softvire, the World Wide Web can be accessed by anyone. While such digital developments have helped individuals and business owners in many ways, take note that there are also risks involved.
Cybercriminals can take advantage of these developments, as well. From vulnerable healthcare devices, video cameras from phones and mobile gadgets to data breach and hacking, DDoS and malware attacks, these are implication that cyberattacks have become far-reaching.
IoT security roadblocks
The IoT security has become more and more challenging these days. Since the idea of networking platforms and other sites are relatively new, most developers focus more on the product’s overall designing phase. This is also due to the IoT’s nascent market. As a result, they have overlooked the importance of security and privacy of users and subscribers.
Another growing concern with IoT’s security is the utilisation of hardcoded or default passwords. Hackers can easily use this process to breach account details and other valuable information. Keep in mind that hackers can still crack the password even if you change them regularly.
What can you do to prepare for possible threats?
Thanks to continuous efforts of IT experts in the cybersecurity sector, individuals and enterprises can modify their methods to secure their devices from possible threats. For more guidance, here are other key factors you should know about IoT and network security:
Factor 1: Visibility is everything
In a study conducted by Gemalto in 2019, almost 50% of businesses were able to detect IoT breaches. Again, if it’s not visible, it’s impossible to measure it; and if it’s not measurable, it can be challenging to analyse it and implement possible solutions.
In addition to this, many individuals and even enterprises are not only blindsided by the endpoints connected to their networks, most of them are not equipped with the right resources to resolve this concern. This results to massive traffic activities within their network with zero visibility at all.
Factor 2: Empower data analysis solutions
If you’re still sticking to outdated data analysis processes, you might be having problems to detect current problems and future possible threats to your network. Analytics have made vast developments over the past decades. From descriptive to predictive forms, you need to start innovating to maximise security.
Good thing, many companies are looking beyond network and application analytics using various technologies to make necessary adjustments with their system. They are now looking for multiple solutions to resolve data breach using state-of-the-art tools and hiring the best IT experts in the field. This gives them opportunities to boost productivity, set parameters based on real-time granularity at each network, and to remediate cyberattacks.
To become more effective, your analytics for security solution utilise various types of resources. This should give your team a more comprehensive method to review traffic from your network.
Factor 3: Utilisation of new machine learning and artificial intelligence
Thanks to current modification of Artificial Intelligence, you can now make use of new machine learning tools that will help you identify and respond to security breaches faster and more efficiently.
As we all know, the AI technology is one of the biggest upgrades today. While there are a few loopholes found in some devices, they are still the most effective weapon to analyse data in real time, correlate information, distinguish patterns, and make precise forecasts based on the data gathered.
John Ocampos
Factor 4: Implement action plans
Once you have gathered enough information using advanced tools, you should start working on your action plans. Keep in mind that these tools can only provide contextual information. It is still your role to create action plans to resolve and prevent cyberattacks.
Typically, individuals and enterprises would upgrade their security system. While this is probably the most basic step in maximising security and privacy of IoT devices, you should also explore other options for further improvement.
Factor 5: Mutual authentication
Again, anyone can get access to the Internet. Experienced hackers can easily crack your password. The best solution for this is to activate dual authentication. With this option, you can verify that the access is coming from a legitimate device. You can also track down who is attempting to use your network including their location.
Security IT developers are now using more advanced cryptographic algorithms. They now include symmetric keys or asymmetric keys when authenticating user access. For instance, the Secure Hash Algorithm or also known as SHA-x can be integrated with a hash-based authenticated code or to the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm.
These are just some of the few things you should know about IoT and cybersecurity. Again, always take necessary precautions when using IoT devices. Secure your activities by investing in the best security software.
The author is John Ocampos, administrator, Softvire
About the author
John Ocampos is the Administrator of Softvire, one of the leading online software marketplaces in Australia. He is a seasoned writer, researcher, and strategic media analyst. John has been covering the latest trends in cybersecurity, and other technological advancements. He is also well-versed in other related subjects such as cyber threats, scams, phishing, and blockchain.
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