Connecting devices through the Internet of Things (IoT) brings convenience. Yet, it comes with a crucial concern: keeping everything secure. Unauthorized access and malware threats are just some of the IoT security challenges issues you may face when protecting your organization.
As IoT advances, so do the tactics of those trying to exploit its weaknesses. Recent statistics show an alarming 87% year-over-year increase in IoT malware volume in 2022. That’s not all — 112 million cyber attacks worldwide targeted the Internet of Things industry in the same year.
We’re not just throwing loud stats; we understand their significance precisely. With over four years in the Internet of Things and successful projects like Propuskator and MyBox, WebbyLab has firsthand knowledge of IoT security threats and solutions. If you want to protect your IoT ecosystem, use our article as your go-to guide on the primary threats and strategies to address them.
I believe that effective security measures serve two primary objectives. First, to bolster the system’s resilience against attacks, thereby providing the support team with ample time to respond. Second, to elevate the costs associated with hacking to the point where the effort and resources expended by the hacker outweigh any potential gains from the breach.
Kostiantyn Oliynyk, Head of IoT at WebbyLab
Kostiantyn Oliynyk
Head of IoT at Webbylab
Helped dozens of startups create effective IOT products.
Roles overview and device management capabilities in MyBox
In IoT, potential threats lurk from various sources. That’s why robust security measures are your top priority. Our IoT development services focus on fortifying your entire ecosystem against challenges in the following three areas:
Let’s see how insufficient protection affects these three areas and why security is critical.
Smart devices connected to the IoT platform may face risks associated with:
These vulnerabilities can lead to data breaches, compromising not only individual devices but the entire ecosystem. Therefore, IoT devices security is a must to ensure user privacy, mitigate cyber risks, and maintain data integrity.
IoT security challenges extend to the infrastructure. Upon obtaining device credentials, attackers may manipulate the platform or server to access valuable client information and potentially compromise other devices. In this scenario, authorization mechanisms, like access control lists (ACLs) and role-based access control (RBAC), ensure that only authorized users or devices can access specific resources.
In addition to the connected devices that pose risks to the infrastructure, the IoT ecosystem hides numerous other vulnerabilities. And the reason is evident. Why target individual devices when you can hack the entire system? Here are several examples of cybersecurity threats:
All the mentioned scenarios aim to obtain customer data, access the IoT devices, or shut down the whole system.
The customer’s local network vulnerability directly impacts IoT platform performance if insufficient attention is given to the platform architecture. This IoT security risk stems from the previously mentioned aspect — the smart device’s vulnerability. Attackers with access to the client’s local network can obtain device credentials and attempt unauthorized access to the system or gather sensitive customer information.
The importance of IoT security is hard to overestimate, especially in a world where everything is becoming “smart.” It’s challenging to anticipate where new dangers may arise.
In a recent incident, the iRobot Roomba J7, a smart vacuum cleaner, stirred controversy as its built-in camera captured images accessed by unauthorized individuals. Subsequently, these pictures surfaced on Facebook, depicting people from unflattering low angles, the kind one would prefer not to share on social media.
Therefore, when creating an IoT platform or project, it’s critical to prioritize user data protection, maintain anonymity, and minimize risks.
Having identified your IoT ecosystem’s three most vulnerable components, let’s look at the challenges of securing IoT devices. Here are the main ones:
Let’s now look at the practical example of how these challenges impact the IoT security threats examples. Imagine that you’re developing an IoT platform that connects devices of different manufacturers simultaneously. The risks you may face include the following:
IoT security risks, including data interception and unauthorized device control, emphasize the need for comprehensive security measures at both hardware and software levels. Consequently, these vulnerabilities may let an attacker access the user’s LAN (WiFi), receive their credentials to authorize the platform or gain control over the device. Given that all user devices use the same data for platform authorization, an attacker could automatically obtain access to the data of every device within the platform. For more detailed insights into how to handle IoT devices securely, check out some iot gateways examples in our recent guide.
Despite the many IoT security challenges there are various ways to tackle them. Consider the following solutions:
At WebbyLab, we address the numerous IoT cyber security threats at the platform architecture level. For example, denying OTA renewal through unencrypted HTTP or allowing device connection only through secure channels, such as MQTTS, are effective measures.
However, challenges persist in the firmware architecture, given the potential for sometimes unpredictable threats. Hence, the most optimal solution lies in establishing a robust architecture for the platform itself, be it a system or a project. You can learn more about how to protect your infrastructure here.
Besides the strategies we listed above, you can follow numerous other IoT security best practices. Here are the top IoT security issues and solutions you can leverage:
Besides that, prioritize the code infrastructure security. Handle routine security audits for updates of open-source libraries and services used on the platform.
IoT security examples demonstrate how robust measures like encryption and device authentication can mitigate potential breaches in smart healthcare devices or connected industrial systems.
Learn from the example of Log4j, an open-source logging library that has likely affected numerous individuals and organizations worldwide. A security flaw identified in Log4j could have enabled attackers to infiltrate systems, steal passwords and logins, and introduce malicious software into networks if not addressed promptly.
Are you looking for other IoT platform security best practices? Check out our recent post on the five essential steps to ensure secure communication with IoT devices.
WebbyLab prioritizes security in all IoT projects. We introduce robust protection measures on the architecture level to mitigate any issues beforehand. Make sure of our profound expertise by looking at some of our IoT solutions:
Video surveillance in the Propuskator access control system
When working on Propuskator, our cloud access control system, we handled the following IoT security issues and solutions:
Configuring settings from the admin account in the Propuskator ACS mobile app
Our client, a manufacturer and supplier of EV charging stations, MyBox, required us to develop a backend cloud infrastructure and a mobile app for end-users. We handled the task with precision, ultimately introducing the following security measures:
User requests for actions protected by admin password
Discover more about our use cases where we tackle IoT and IIoT security challenges in our portfolio.
Despite the many IoT device security issues that may lead to data leaks, operational disruptions, and financial and reputational harm, effective solutions exist for addressing these challenges. Consider protecting your IoT architecture, updating your firmware and software regularly, or leveraging any other strategy described in our post.
If you’re looking to protect your IoT technology project with precision, count on WebbyLab as your reliable partner. Drawing on our four-year background in the Internet of Things, we can prevent your solution from potential risks. Reach out to us to secure your IoT system today.
Written by:
Head of IoT at Webbylab
With a robust academic background in Telecommunication Systems Engineering, I apply my knowledge to lead innovations in the IoT domain. Starting as the first team member in the newly formed IoT department at WebbyLab, I've spearheaded its growth, fostering the expansion into embedded and hardware development alongside our core software projects. My dedication lies in pushing the boundaries of IoT technology, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence that profoundly impacts our clients' operational success.
IoT devices security is important since these devices are typically interconnected, transmit sensitive data, and control critical functions. A single data breach or a cyber attack can lead to reputational and financial damage and disruption of processes.
The main Internet of Things security issues include weak authentication, legacy assets, device diversity, outdated software and firmware, privacy concerns, and other threats that may lead to data leakage and IoT system shutdown.
ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27002, and ISO/IEC 27005 are the core standards that regulate IoT security requirements. Additional laws include the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that oversees proper data protection in the European Union.
Generally, industries heavily reliant on IoT are most exposed to security risks. Those include industrial IoT (IIoT), healthcare, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure.
Using blockchain tech for secure data transfer and AI and ML for threat detection are the most prominent innovations in IoT security. Reliance on zero-trust architectures is a security trend as well.
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