Take the Target Off Your Back - Cybersecurity and IoT Implementation

There’s no question that the IoT offers significant opportunities in almost every industry from healthcare to manufacturing, but it’s important to be aware that this digital transformation increases your surface area for cyberattacks. At every stage of your IoT strategy development and tech rollout, cybersecurity must play a role – allowing you to reap the rewards while minimising risk. Here’s how to achieve this.

IT security from the start

Cybersecurity isn’t just one of many factors to consider in an IoT implementation – it’s a foundation of the project itself. If it’s not part of the planning process from the very start, you’ll likely find yourself putting out fires as you go along, or worse; dealing with the impact of a breach. Every device and platform presents another route into your network that hackers are actively looking for, especially in high-value targets like supply chains, medical data, financial data, utilities, and manufacturing processes. To work, it needs to be a considered part of your strategy and budget from the start.

Actively managing cybersecurity

 Too many organisations leave basic cybersecurity measures down to individuals – and that’s what attackers are relying on. If implementing security patches, managing passwords, utilising multifactor authentication and other measures are left in the hands of individuals, people are going to put them off either because they don’t fully understand the need for them, because it’s inconvenient, or because they don’t know how. The majority of breaches occur through human error, whether it’s putting password and login details into the wrong hands or not applying software patches, and this can allow hackers to race through your network and gain control in a matter of moments. IT security should be managed at the highest levels with teams that can automatically push updates, provide staff training, implement best practices and policies, and actively monitor your assets and networks for suspicious activity.

Device testing

The IoT device market is booming and there’s an overwhelming choice of options open to organisations. And while equipment is usually tested for performance and other KPIs, IT security can be missed out on completely. Because these devices integrate fully with your network, users, and equipment, a compromise can have a massive impact on processes and productivity, making initial and regular ongoing cybersecurity testing a necessity. This is especially important where multiple platforms, applications, and devices are working together, where vulnerabilities can easily occur due to improper configurations, adding an unsecure device, or compromising overall security by mixing and matching existing or legacy technologies.

Data encryption

The IoT is above all else a data gathering and transmission solution, using sensors to pull data in real-time for reporting, analytics, or even automated system responses. While this data is transmitting, there is a high chance of interception – so-called man-in-the-middle attacks – or being intercepted on an unsecure device or platform. Data encryption should be high-quality and end-to-end, combined with the use of edge computing to perform data analysis directly at the point of collection.

The pressure is on organisations to digitise and implement innovative tech solutions – but rushing in without cybersecurity awareness and controls is a recipe for disaster. Cybersecurity for the IoT ensures the delivery of solid results from your IoT investment without putting your organisation, clients, and staff at risk.