IoT security solutions are increasingly vital today, as hackers can easily take control of smart devices unless the owners take care.
Many smart device owners (including you) do not know how to secure their devices such as cameras, sensors, and smart TVs.
The best IoT security solutions, how they work, and easy ways to secure your devices so hackers cannot access your devices (and cannot steal your information or take control of your devices) will be covered in this blog.
What are the security risks for IoT devices?
There are many types of threats to IoT devices.
Typical risks include:
Poor passwords
Using default password. Most IoT devices ship with default passwords. Most users do not change the default passwords.
Outdated software
Old software will have bugs, which are a vulnerability. Because the bugs are a way for hackers to get in. This is unfortunate because most IoT devices go several years without being patched.
Lack of encryption
Some IoT devices even send data in plain text, without encryption, so everybody can read it.
The Biggest IoT Security Threats Today
As IoT devices become more embedded in the human experience, they become more attractive targets for cybercriminals. With the rise of botnet and the rise of concern for privacy and IoT security, IoT security will remain a hot topic.
Rise of IoT Botnets
An IoT botnet is a swarm of hacked smart devices that hackers take advantage of to perform wide-scale cyberattacks. A common usage scenario for botnets, and many, like Mirai, are launching Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks by bombarding websites and other online services with excessive volumes of traffic.
Cybercriminals use weak passwords, unpatched firmware, and insecure network connections, to infect Internet of Things (IoT) devices with malware. Once compromised, these devices become part of the attack infrastructure, without the knowledge of the owner.
Anti-botnet solutions will allow users to protect themselves from botnets by being employ multi-factor authentication (MFA), disable remote access capabilities if they are not in use, and ensure regular firmware updates to fix vulnerabilities.
Privacy Risks with Smart Devices
Smart devices generate and collect vast amounts of information, including voice recordings, location information, health statistics, and web browsing history. If that information is not appropriately protected, it is subject to hacking by cyber criminals, or even misappropriated by the manufacturers of the device.
The transmission of data is generally weakly encrypted using weak authentication, as well as vague privacy policies that allow for personal identification and unauthorized use of data. Further, some IoT device may listen, record, and generate information without express user consent raising ethical concerns.
In order to protect privacy, user must ensure that permissions associated with a device are reviewed, undisclosed data collection is disabled, and connections are made on secure networks with VPN-encryption when connecting smart devices.
How do we enhance security in IoT devices?
In what ways can we make IoT devices more secure? We discuss the principal solutions below.
Strong passwords
Immediately change your device’s default password. Passwords should be long and complex. Never reuse similar passwords on numerous devices.
Always update software
Many IoT devices will have software updates that close any holes in the software security. Some of the devices update automatically.
Encrypt your data
If given the option, use encryption when possible. Encryption encodes data so no one else can read it.
What new technologies help with IoT security?
IoT devices are getting more secure due to some of these emerging technologies. Some possible emerging technologies are:
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI has the potential to detect devices acting strangely, as it can warn its users of a possible attack. It will not only learn from the data it is taught.
Blockchain
Blockchain will prevent tampering of device data, and a record of any event that has taken place by/to a device will provide a tamperproof record.
Edge Computing
It brings processing data closer to the device itself. It is a defence against spy data collection.
How Can Companies Improve the Security of IoT?
Here is the many different ways to strengthen IoT network security:
Developing a Security Policy
Have written rules for use and security of IoT devices, and train employers on the security policies.
Implement Network Segmentation
Separate the Internet of Things device from other networks. This minimizes the impact of a breach should a device be compromised. Periodic security audits
Identify vulnerabilities
Prompt parameter remediation
Best Practices for IoT Security Compliance
Organizations can combat security threats by following best practices based on recognized industry security standards and government regulations. This compliance ensures that IoT devices are secure and protects confidential user data.
Industry Security Standards
Several security standards provide a framework for ensuring IoT security. This white paper outlines the management of cybersecurity risks, including the mapping to ISO/IEC 27001. Then you will have organized security controls example using the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
There are industry standards like the IoT Security Foundation (IoTSF) and ETSI EN 303 645 that have established more security principles, for example, secure boot, secure communication, and trusted authentication.
When organizations are compliant with these standards, they secure their IoT ecosystem against cyber threats and are able to enlarge reliance upon their systems and maintain customer trust.
Government Regulations & Compliance Requirements
Governments across the globe are developing tough IoT security laws to protect consumers and businesses. The GDPR in Europe regulates data and privacy in an extremely detailed manner and requires organization to secure personal data.
In the U.S., manufacturers creating devices must provide unique passwords and security features to limit unauthorized access, under California IoT security law (SB-327). The Cybersecurity Improvement Act focuses on government-connected devices.
Organizations can avoid scrutiny of their practices if they understand and follow these continually evolving regulations, enforce proper data encryption and access controls, and conduct audits of their compliance.
What can consumers do to protect their IoT devices?
For the average consumer, there are several ways to enhance the security of IoT devices:
Do your homework before buying
When selecting Internet connected devices, select devices from manufacturers that have strong security practices and support continual product updates.
Secure your home network
Create a strong Wi-Fi password and enable the encryption on your network.
Think twice about what you connect
Only connect the IoT devices you need. To help protect your device from a cyber threat, disconnect with Wi-Fi when not in use.
How will IoT security change in the future?
IoT security trends will only continue to develop. Here are some trends to observe:
Stricter regulations
Governments may further enact IoT security legislations that drive producers to create more secure devices.
Built-in security
Hopefully, this will make future IoT devices much more resistant to attack from the start, like automatic encryption.
More user control
Going forward, security will allow for more user control over IoT device security, think user advanced security dashboards.