Investing in an IoT
system is a risk that needs to be bolstered by a systemic readiness review and
attack-based status monitoring strategy.
The Internet of Things is driving transformations in major
operational models by connecting assets, people, products and services,
creating the possibility to make real-time decisions and deliver personalized
outcomes.
The technology holds much promise in machine-to-machine
frameworks that are increasingly used in critical industries like oil and gas,
transportation, healthcare and the manufacturing sector. By the year 2020,
machine sensors are expected to dominate the IoT ecosystem, contributing up to
40% of the total data generated. The industrial sector is exploring ways to
integrate plant floors with control systems for capabilities in automation and
data handling. Wearable smartbands and trackers that monitor fitness and health
are piquing the interest of healthcare providers and researchers. Ingestible
pill sensors and other devices are under experimentation for the remote access
they offer to real time data throughout an ordinary day in the life of a
patient. Undeniably, smart devices and sensors are proving their pertinence in
critical missions.
As the focus shifts from the ostensible glamour of a smart
gadget over to its functionality, organizations will be faced with the task of
ensuring that the functional soundness of their systems is on point. When we
look at connected devices from the perspective of smart cities, what really
matters is how secure the data streams all along the path they take. As far as
IoT is concerned, 99.9% secure = 100% vulnerable.
“Data integrity is the one parameter that will determine the usability
of the ‘electronic skin’ that Neil Gross envisioned. Accurate data is the one
factor that can turn a cool toy into a useful tool.”
Data is the life-blood of any monitoring or control system.
For data analytical tools to deliver accurate and actionable insights, data
needs to stay unaltered along the path it takes from the systems and
applications to the cloud and back again.
Understanding threats
to IoT data security
The data that devices record, typically passes through
gateways, servers and applications before coming to rest in the data centers.
Securing the route of this data in motion depends on loss prevention measures
that are consistent and multi-faceted. What most systems overlook is adequate
security at the sensor level, where implementation of security measures is
typically a complex task. As a result of vulnerabilities in the networking
protocols and devices, the streams of data (including service data logs that
are sent back to the manufacturer) could be altered or distorted apart from
being leaked away. As is obvious, faulty/tampered data leads to bad decisions
or in the worst case, fatal errors as demonstrated by the Medjack attack
vector.
“One simple way to
ensure that your data stays intact is to look beyond standard compliance norms
and really dig deep enough to understand the threat sources in your IT asset
ecosystem.
Security stature
assessment is not a one-time task. However, an overall risk assessment to
understand weak points can pave the way for the development of your very own
security incident prevention strategy.”
Issues impacting IoT
data security
On an average, about 2.3 trillion gigabytes of raw big data
is generated every day and collected by systems across the world.
Disappointingly, most organizations do not have access to adequate guidance in
life-cycle maintenance for their IoT devices. They also rarely have a defined
process for performing secure updates, configuring and patching for firmware.
This can jeopardize data integrity since these devices open holes within your
cloud space when communicating with third-party data analytic systems.
The lack of standardization and commonality in drives,
transport protocols, operating systems and platforms makes the IoT environs
prone to complexities in configuration and compatibility, opening loopholes for
eavesdropping. The influx of several portable device controllers has made
traffic monitoring even more indispensable.
Weak links in the IoT interconnections are often situational
and not readily identifiable. A pertinent risk management strategy requires
threat awareness at the various subsystems of your infrastructure.
“Even before
implementing a new IoT initiative, an exhaustive impact study is crucial to
validate your stature with regard to data privacy. A deeper understanding of
the threat environment studied in the light of evolving stealth attack patterns
will yield actionable insights.”
Narrowing down to
contextual threat sources
When legacy industrial systems are networked with enterprise
IT, it gives rise to operational challenges and limitations. An organization
investing in IoT devices has to exercise caution and ensure that the equipment
they procure is from a manufacturer who invests in a secure development
process. Disappointingly, only a few makers think security through. HP Security
Research report last year hinted that about 70% of the ten most popular IoT
devices had at least 25 vulnerabilities each. These vulnerabilities seem to be
crop up from weak points in network security, application security, mobile
security, and communication protocols, all of which could snowball into
something graver. The most common
vulnerabilities assessed on the basis of OWASP Top 10 include inadequate
authentication, insecure web interfaces and cursory encryption.
The simplest way to counteract IoT data security challenges
is a block by block appraisal of web solutions, interfaces and their
implementation in your enterprise.
Aleph Tav Technologies strives to enable pioneering ideas to
take shape and stay successful. With proven techniques and contemporary hacks,
our experts are poised to help you leverage our cost-efficient methods.
If you are looking for a responsive security assessment
program for your connected devices, talk to us for insights on how your assets
can best be protected.
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