Cybersecurity has myriad applications in the IoT sector. A single attack can completely bring down a data network or trusted system. Although IoT has the potential to transform our lives, it brings us several concerns for ensuring security. More and more companies have now transformed the way they do businesses and are ready to ride in the wave of digital transformation.
IoT devices hardly have any inbuilt security which makes them a right target for hackers. Most IoT devices are interconnected which compromises the security of multiple devices if any one of them gets hacked. That is the reason why you should go for the top IoT solutions from a reputed IoT development company. This blog talks about how cyber security is crucial in the age of IoT for overall protection.
What Statistics Say About IoT Security Threats
Here is a list of essential statistics about the IoT security threats that you should know about:
- As per a report on IoT threat by Unit 42, 98% of IoT device traffic is not encrypted, exposing confidential and personal data on the network. This is one such example of IoT cyber risk.
- SonicWall recorded a 40% rise in malware attacks during the mid-2020 as compared to 151.9 million malware attacks in 2019.
Make your IoT Connections Secured with these Quick Steps
IoT devices can easily connect, be it smartphones, tech gadgets, or smart devices, but without adequate security, these devices can be a gateway to our networks where confidential information can be stolen. Here are a few ways through which IoT connections can be easily secured:
1. Avoid Utilizing Universal Plug and Play
While the Universal Plug and Play have its uses, it can make routers, printers, and IoT devices vulnerable to cyberattacks. The main principle behind designing the Universal Plug and Play is to make it easier for the network devices without the requirement of any additional configuration, thus helping them automatically discover each other.
However, this becomes easier for the hackers as they can discover all the IoT devices beyond your local network. Thus, it is always best to turn off the Universal Plug and Play completely.
2. Authenticate your IoT Devices
It is of utmost importance to secure your devices and reduce the probability of getting your data into the wrong hands. When you implement all the suggested security options, your IoT devices get well secured against all external breaches.
Therefore, you will be able to enjoy the various benefits of having devices at your office, home, automobile, or anywhere. You can secure your devices with a biometric system and multi-factor authentication that ensures that nobody can access your device.
3. Pick a Strong Password
If you are still not using a strong password, then you need to rethink it. Using a simple and common password for IoT devices means an open door for hackers. Strong and secure passwords are the best defense against hackers. Ensure using a unique, strong, and new password for every device to prevent it from malicious attacks.
4. Leverage Public key infrastructure strategy
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) ensures data encryption through two processes asymmetric and symmetric encryption. In asymmetric encryption, two keys are required, one key is the public key and the other private.
If something is encrypted with the public key, then the decryption can be done only through the private key and vice versa. Other than that, symmetric encryption ensures both data decryption and encryption with the same key.
5. Keep Your Firmware Updated
Firmware protects you with the latest security patches and reduces the chances of malicious attacks. Data exploits or vulnerabilities can be fixed as they secure your IoT devices. Always keep a check for the latest updates to keep your device updated.
The IoT manufacturers send regular updates to the websites and applications for checking security patches. Since IoT devices have no extra layer of protection, updating devices regularly ensures security. You can also utilize IoT Security Analytics that can drastically transform security issues that you face. This involves correlating, collecting, and analyzing data from various sources, thus helping IoT security providers by assisting in the identification of potential threats.
Intelligent Cybersecurity Systems: The Only Key to a Safer Tomorrow
For managing threats faced by the IoT devices, cyber security systems must be capable of smartly monitoring and detecting malware. Cybersecurity systems are, therefore, programmed to identify threat patterns, and allow or deny network access, all without any human intervention. With an intelligent platform like cybersecurity, cyber attacks can be easily prevented as a whole, or limit their effect to a restricted area.
The future will progress towards a technologically-connected world, where over the next few years, cybersecurity will reach a new level of innovation to battle ominous and complex threats in the age of IoT.
Also Read: 5 Best Ways To Stay On The Top Of Cybersecurity Trends
