Internet of Things Security:
As more and more appliances are using the Internet of Things, IoT for short, to collect data- personal data- about you to make your experience better, there’s no denying that there’s a security risk that comes with this. After all, the Internet of Things is a new phenomenon taking the world by the storm.
Therefore, there should be no surprise when we say that it’s only rational to begin thinking about the impact- both positive and negative- it may have on our lives.
While the pros of using the Internet of Things to enhance consumer experience certainly outweigh its cons, there is one issue that a lot of companies using the Internet of Things on their devices may face. That is security.
The Internet of Things Security is as new of a phenomenon as the Internet of Things itself. Dubbed by some as the “Security of Things”, it essentially relates to everything that is related to the security of IoT.
But before we move on further with this topic, let’s take a glimpse at how the Internet of Things Security has come to where it is today.
The First IoT Attack:
The first attack on IoT devices that led the way in establishing the Security of Things occurred just two years ago. A botnet called the Mirai botnet conducted one of the biggest Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks ever recorded in cyber history.
It is reported that more than one terabyte per second of data flooded into Dyn, a major DNS provider, which brought down major websites including Airbnb.
About one hundred and fifty thousand smart cameras and other devices, all held hostage by the Mirai botnet, focused on the DNS provider, wreaking havoc everywhere. In the United States alone, websites in the northeast, California, and Texas areas were all attacked by this botnet.
As you can imagine, the implications of this attack were massive.
Many consider it to be a warning: Internet of Things might have brought about some great things but with only standard security (something which was even overlooked by manufacturers), IoT devices stand no chance against attackers.
See also : IoT Scanner- is your device or system used in DoS cyber attacks ?
It is, therefore, safe to say that this attack was a wake-up call for a lot of manufacturers using IoT technology.
What is the Internet of Things Security?
Now, with that in mind. Let’s look at the Internet of Things Security itself. It’s designed to protect Internet of Things devices. But how does it do that?
While each IoT manufacturer can develop their own set of the Internet of Things Security, there are some key features which have been put in place to protect IoT devices against any future attacks.
The Internet of Things Security, therefore, is responsible for the following:
1. Limit control
One of the key features of the Internet of Things Security is to limit control. This includes the accessibility of the kind of data available on a particular IoT device.
Part of the Internet of Things Security is to make sure that data is limited in the event of a compromise.
So, if your device has been accessed by an intruder, this measure is taken to make sure that the attacker does not have access to all parts of your device.
By limiting data accessed by applications, it is easier to control a security breach and control its scope.
Manufacturers have turned to this option in order to isolate the potential damages that can be done to you, the user, and others in the event of an attack. But that’s not all.
2. Device Authentication
Admittingly, this is probably one of the oldest techniques that have been used to secure device and because of its effectiveness, it’s really no surprise that device authentication is part of the Internet of Things Security.
When transferring data to and fro your device, the device authentication technique can be used to authenticate the network you’re using. This allows for security when you are using a public network which is accessed by all sorts of individuals.
3. Firewalls
Firewalls have always been used to help protect devices against attacks so it’s really no surprise that these are included in the IoT Security.
Long story short, firewalls help protect and manage traffic that may be directed towards a device. Protocols are set in place by manufacturers to identify threats from both IoT and non-IoT devices.
Of course, it is worth noting that manufacturers are adding more features to the Security of Things to make sure that IoT devices are well protected against malicious threats.
These three features of IoT Security are the most common ones that you will find in your devices but that does not mean that manufacturers can have more.
But with a good understanding of what comprises the Internet of Things Security, we can now move on to the next section: its importance.
See also: Future of IoT || Internet of Things controls everything
The Growing Importance of IoT Security:
As anyone who is interested in IoT will tell you, in the last few years, the use of IoT in devices has skyrocketed. With it, as it does with many things, comes a lot of security threats.
It’s only natural that along with the popularity of IoT, the popularity of IoT security will also grow.
As the Mirai botnet showed us, it’s quite easy to hack into unprotected or poorly protected IoT devices.
As users turn to use more and more IoT devices, the demand for IoT Security has also grown.
We live in an age where IoT devices contain not just information about the device we’re using, but it also includes vital, confidential information about ourselves.
It’s not too far-fetched to say that IoT devices can be used to tell all about our person.
From smart appliances that can tell what meals we eat, what movies we prefer and what kind of music we listen to, it’s very easy to map out the kind of person using these devices.
Our very identity is under threat and investors see that. This is why IoT security is becoming very important.
People want to use IoT devices, but they cannot use them if there’s a constant threat of security breaches.
Manufacturers are racing against time to be the first ones to create an impenetrable IoT Security service which everyone will be comfortable with.
See also : Why is standardization important for IoT?
Conclusion:
IoT devices are, without a doubt, the future- and the future needs to be secure. And so, IoT Security is gaining popularity everywhere. Everyone wants their data to be safe.
So, it’s really a matter of time when research and development will be able to provide us with a secure framework which governs all IoT devices so that we can continue to take advantage of IoT devices and feel safe.
Let us know what you think about “Internet of things Security and it’s Importance ” in comment section below.
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