Companies from various industries discovered the world of Internet of Things and incorporated it in their workflows to increase productivity, cut costs and deliver better services to clients. But there is one thing that is dangerous to overlook: IoT security. If the IoT devices are compromised, a threat of DDoS attack, identity theft, spoofing and data leakage appear. That’s why the correct approach to protection in Internet of Things software development is vital.
What is IoT Security?
IoT security means practices that companies implement to increase the level of protection in the devices that receive, keep and transfer sensitive data. Every industry uses the advantages of Internet-connected devices, yet companies have to pay more attention to the safety of their data.
Although the Internet of Things significantly increases the efficiency of business workflows and makes the work processes quicker, companies are now hugely dependent on these modern technologies. Recently, due to a number of data breaches, it is pivotal to establish well-worked IoT security requirements.
IoT Vulnerabilities
The possibility of remote access can be a curse as well as a blessing. Attackers can get unauthorized access to the cloud or get the information by phishing. Hackers attack a single device and subsequently access the entire network.
There is a multitude of devices in the IoT system, and it’s important to make sure that each one is protected enough. Few IoT devices have installed firewalls and antiviruses, which makes them particularly vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
Ways to Improve IoT Protection
Doing business that involves Internet of Things requires foresight in order to eliminate cyber threats. To increase the level of protection against IoT attacks, an IT company in US leverages a number of techniques:
- Pre-built security features
Not every device has the design that comes with pre-installed security, which makes it easy to compromise for attackers. To combat this challenge, manufacturers build IoT devices with installed security during the development phase by default.
- PKI and digital certificates
Timely public key infrastructure (PKI) authentication helps a lot to ensure data protection. To encrypt sensitive information, admins can issue certificates for a secure connection and authenticate the identity of users, devices, or services.
- Network security
Networks are complex IoT systems that comprise a number of interconnected devices. Ideally, they should have multi-level protection: at physical, technical and administrative levels. To control this process and prevent the system from malicious attempts you should establish limited access to the system.
- API security
Applications can connect with each other and transfer data via APIs, so it’s extremely important to make this process free from risk. For that purpose, you can use tokens, signatures, encryption, quotas, throttling, and API gateways.
- Segmentation
For better IoT security, it is useful to divide IoT devices into groups based on their vulnerability characteristics and segment them into protected networks. The security team that monitors IoT devices on an ongoing basis should take immediate action if an attack is noticed.
- Security gateways
Security gateways essentially are portals that connect smart IoT devices and cloud storage. They deal with all information that is sent from an Internet of Things device to the cloud, or from the cloud to the device. Thanks to advanced encryption and authentication methods, gateways guarantee data protection from intruders.
- Regular upgrading
Outdated software and hardware can cause threats to IoT security. Cybercriminals are always honing their skills and inventing new ways to penetrate protected IoT systems, so make sure you don’t invite their attacks with an obsolete system. Regular updates, either manual or automated, are of utmost importance when it comes to the Internet of Things data security.
- Professional growth
It is pivotal to provide your staff with regular training on the latest technologies and trends in IoT security. Make sure all team members have access to the recent updates, distribute essential guidebooks and manuals among them.
- Close cooperation
If all the staff, from security teams to engineers, collaborate and discuss the possible vulnerabilities threats, it is easier to maintain a decent degree of safety, prevent and resolve emerging issues.
- Customer awareness
Clients also influence the security of IoT systems. They can update computing devices and choose the manufacturing companies that comply with strict security policies and procedures. Their decisions make the companies upgrade their products and increase the quality of Internet of Things protection.
