What are the Major Concerns in IoT Security ?

The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the most rapidly evolving technological breakthroughs in recent years. According to IoT Analytics, there will be more than 27 billion interconnected devices worldwide by 2025. 

However, growing security concerns, such as software flaws and intrusions, can cause many customers to resist employing IoT devices. These Internet of Things security issues are particularly important for businesses in healthcare, finance, manufacturing, logistics, retail, and other areas that have already begun to implement IoT devices. 

Why Is IoT Security Important? 

Because of the widespread use of IoT devices, enterprises should pay close attention to system security. 

Any loophole can result in a system breakdown or a malware attack, affecting hundreds or thousands of consumers. For example, traffic lights may fail, resulting in road accidents, or thieves may disrupt a home surveillance system. As certain IoT devices are intended for healthcare or human security, their stability is vital to people's lives. 

Another reason to emphasize security while implementing IoT devices is to protect their data. Smart gadgets collect massive amounts of sensitive data, particularly extremely sensitive data, which must be safeguarded under multiple cybersecurity policies, protocols, and regulations. Improper data access might lead to lawsuits and sanctions. It can also harm your credibility and cause you to lose customers' trust.  

The two major objectives of IoT security are:  Ensure that all data is effectively gathered, stored, processed, and transmitted. Identify and remove vulnerabilities in IoT devices. Designing robust IoT technologies and retaining them secure from threats, on the other hand, is a difficult challenge. 

Let us look at the major IoT security issues. 

Software and firmware vulnerabilities 

It is difficult to ensure the security of IoT systems because many smart devices are resource-constrained and have restricted computational capability. As a result, they are unable to perform robust, resource-intensive security tasks and are more vulnerable than non-IoT devices. 

Malicious actors want to exploit vulnerabilities discovered in a target IoT system to disrupt communications, install spyware, and capture sensitive data. 

Data Leaks from IoT Systems 

• 
  

We have previously exhibited that cybercriminals can gain unauthorized access to the information processed by your IoT system by intercepting unencrypted data packets. This may contain sensitive information such as your location, bank account information, and health records. However, targeting insecure connections is not the only option for attackers to obtain useful information. 

All data is sent and stored on the cloud, and cloud-hosted services are vulnerable to unauthorized threats. 3rd party services in your IoT devices can also be a source of data leakage. 

Unsafe Communication 

Most existing security methods were developed for desktop computers and are challenging to apply on resource-constrained IoT devices. As a result, typical security methods are ineffective whenever it relates to safeguarding IoT device communication. 

The risk of a man-in-the-middle (MitM) assault is among the most significant hazards posed by unencrypted communications. If your device does not employ secure authentication and encryption protocols, cybercriminals can simply use MitM attacks to breach an update mechanism and seize command of your device. 

Malware Risks 

If cybercriminals are successful in injecting malware into an IoT system, they potentially alter its operation, steal confidential details, and initiate additional cyberattacks. Furthermore, if manufacturers do not provide proper software encryption, most devices potentially come pre-infected with malware. 

Some firms have already discovered strategies to combat the most well-known IoT-targeted malware. However, hackers are always discovering new techniques to exploit IoT devices and networked devices. 

Final Words 

While developing IoT solutions, it is essential to consider security from the beginning of the research and development process. However, due to the pace of intrusions and the difficulty of hunting for system vulnerabilities, guaranteeing effective cybersecurity of devices, networks, and data in IoT setups is difficult. 

It might be challenging to incorporate strong security measures in IoT applications. Besides running into hardware restrictions, integrating security measures may increase the cost and implementation time of a system, which is undoubtedly unfavorable for enterprises. 

Creating safe IoT solutions needs the expertise of skilled IoT technology engineers and quality assurance experts with penetration testing knowledge. At VTPL, we have established teams of experts in integrated and IoT solution development, cybersecurity architecture, and security assessment. 

Reach us today to get started on cost-effective and secure IoT solutions !