What is an IoT device?
A network connected electronic device that senses or interacts with an internal state or the external environment, including operational technology (O T) devices that monitor and control equipment or their processes. These devices are all targets for attackers, and often aren't maintained by IT, unlike computers and phones that are managed by agents.
While the internet of things (IoT) opens the door for innovative new approaches and services in all industries, it also presents new cybersecurity risks. Today an increasing number of newly developed IOT and operational technology (OT) devices are either connected to the network or to the internet, leaving organizations vulnerable to new loT-targeted malware as well as legacy attack techniques that are finding new life.
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What is IoT Security?
Despite the many advantages, the interconnectedness of IoT presents a substantial challenge to enterprises in terms of grave security risks arising from unmonitored and unsecured devices connected to the network.
While enterprise IT teams protect standard IT devices with appropriate network security, the security risks associated with IoT devices are less well-known, and securing them is too often overlooked. The reason is twofold:
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Standard cybersecurity systems lack the ability to recognize specific types of IoT devices, their unique risk profiles and the expected behaviors associated with them.
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IoT devices can be deployed by any business center and are not typically seen as part of IT, therefore bypassing typical IT security controls and processes, such as asset management, security patching, etc. Of course, this is perpetuated by the first reason.
This is not to mention that different IoT devices use different hardware, chipsets, operating systems and firmware, and have a longer operational lifespan than their cyber lifespan.
By their very definition, IoT devices are electronic devices that sense or interact with an internal state or the external environment – this would include OT devices that monitor and control equipment or their processes.
These network-connected devices are all targets for attackers and often aren’t maintained by IT, unlike computers (servers, laptops, etc.) and phones that are managed by agents.
Without proper device identification and tracking mechanisms in place, IoT devices are often relegated as unmanaged endpoints in the network and therefore left vulnerable to exploits, password-targeted attacks and malware infiltration.
IoT Security Defined
From the above-noted vantage point, IoT security can be understood as a security strategy and protection mechanism that specifically safeguards from the possibility of cyberattacks on IoT devices that are connected to the network and purposely built for a fixed set of functionalities.
Without robust security, any connected IoT device is vulnerable to getting breached, compromised and controlled by a bad actor to ultimately steal user data and bring down systems.
Network security and operations teams should be incorporating IoT security into standard practice, process and procedure to ensure these unmanaged devices fall within the same level of visibility and control as those that are managed.
This Article Was Written & published by Meena R, Senior Manager - IT, at Luminis Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd, India.
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