The always-connected objects of the Internet of Things still haven't received the same attention as other devices on the cybersecurity front
Some predictions speak for themselves: the always-connected objects of the Internet of Things, which will grow more and more over the years, are putting a strain on the cybersecurity of companies. There are many dangers associated with these devices, and if action is not taken, companies risk big.
The spread of the Internet of Things cannot and should not be stopped. IoT objects represent one of the elements - along with automation - of the change that is revolutionizing industry for the fourth time in its history. They are machines capable of providing the enterprise with numerous and unquestionable advantages, ranging from data collection to the possibility of obtaining information in real time. But they are also a danger. The reason is quite simple: any device that has an internet connection is potentially hackable. And IoT objects still, from a cybersecurity perspective, haven't received the same attention as other devices.
How to secure IoT devices
The problem is that companies focus mostly on the technical aspect of digital transformation and little on the risks associated with it. Moving to connected machines also means considering the danger of them being compromised by hackers. Concerns that are bound to increase in the coming years as the factory becomes a smart factory, a hyper-connected place where IoT devices will play an important role. Manufacturers and companies will have to learn how to protect them. Here are some of the technologies and systems that will and must be used to strengthen the security of the always-connected objects of the Internet of Things.
Computer network security. Enterprises will need to fortify their IT networks, especially keeping in mind that soon internet connections, as the number of IoT devices increases, will be almost entirely wireless, and therefore easier for hackers to breach.
Access. One of the main issues of great concern to cybersecurity experts is that enterprises don't bother to set up passwords or complex authentication systems to Internet of Things objects. Serious mistakes are often made, such as leaving login credentials in place by default. It is important to ensure access, with high protection systems, only to authorized people.
Encryption. Among the most effective methods to defend IoT devices is definitely encryption. To protect data transmission between the various connected business machines, the entire computer network will necessarily need to be encrypted.
Data analysis. As anticipated, always-connected objects allow enterprises to collect a large amount of information, also known as Big Data. If properly examined, all this data can allow the company to perform predictive analysis, i.e. to hypothesize and simulate, thanks to artificial intelligence, future cyber attacks.
Protection of API interfaces. To access devices, not just Internet of Things devices, you need to use a graphical interface, called an API. It is very important that enterprises are able to strengthen them, using cryptographic techniques and thus preventing access to outsiders.
Updates. Security updates are one of the main weapons in the hands of companies to protect the always-connected objects of the Internet of Things. Hackers are adept, in fact, at identifying and exploiting flaws in devices to land their blows.
Side channels. Hackers can also exploit so-called side channels to deliver their attacks. Instead of trying to intercept data transfer, they aim to trace cryptographic keys by analyzing, for example, the machine's power consumption or electromagnetic sound.