The Internet of Things is a concept where everyday objects, such as TVs, refrigerators, lightbulbs, and even wearable tech, are connected to the internet. It allows for interaction between people and these devices through their smartphones or other mobile devices.
IoT has many benefits- it provides convenience to users and helps businesses become more efficient. However, there are also potential privacy concerns due to this interconnectedness of our lives and our data.
It is important with any new technology that steps be taken to protect consumers’ rights and provide security for IoT products so they do not disrupt their business processes or make them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. As indicated by its name, IoT involves using embedded software in smart products and bringing them to the Internet; this allows for remote access and monitoring of these products.
For a product to be IoT-enabled, it needs an internal network, a controller that enables interaction with other devices (sensors), software, and sometimes even connectivity. These elements allow companies to control or monitor their products remotely. The biggest security problem is when there are vulnerabilities in any one of these parts, allowing hackers access or the ability to disrupt the performance of a connected device. There are already many cases where this has occurred, as was witnessed by the rise in DDoS attacks last year and concerns over ransomware being delivered through IoT devices such as smart fridges.
Security standards needed
For IoT technology’s potential benefits to be fully realized, there needs to be some standard for security in IoT devices. You need to know about it and ensure that you give the ebst to your customers. It will help reassure consumers and businesses that the products being used are safe and secure so they can confidently adopt this technology.
Security concerns must also be put in place by manufacturers and those who design the technology; this includes both software and hardware. They need to ensure all possible exploits on their device have been addressed says the experts at RemoteDBA.com.
A major problem of IoT devices is that many are manufactured overseas with little regard for safety or privacy standards- backdoors are often built into these devices, allowing hackers access. There has already been a case where a backdoor was found on a webcam. Manufacturers should take responsibility for designing such devices- it should not be the task of security researchers to test every single IoT gadget on the market for issues.
Even devices that are made in western countries may still contain vulnerabilities; this is why it is important there be a requirement for transparency that allows users to quickly and easily understand how their data is being collected and used. You could achieve transparency through a simple website before purchase or through automatically generated receipts with information about the device’s specific model number and any information regarding its collection of personal data. It would greatly enhance the protection of privacy rights as users would then know exactly what they were purchasing.
To secure these products against cyber-attacks, manufacturers must do more than patch up software problems after a product has been released- there needs to be planned in place by manufacturers to address cyber security from the design phase. Once a new device connects to the Internet, it becomes vulnerable to attacks, and even though you can install updates, these fixes do not always resolve underlying issues.
Information sharing between manufacturers is also key in preventing cyberattacks on IoT devices; this would involve informing each other of vulnerabilities that have been identified so they can be addressed quickly and productively. It will also reassure users that if a problem has occurred with any particular product, there will be an immediate response from the company (for example, releasing a patch or discontinuing the use of that model).
Having such information available allows for faster responses when incidents occur- however, some obstacles prevent information sharing between companies. These include concerns over intellectual property and the fact that many IoT manufacturers are smaller operations with fewer resources than their bigger counterparts.
Vulnerability scanning is another method of sharing data to secure devices; this involves a third party checking your device remotely and reporting any vulnerabilities they find. It allows immediate notification of problems and solutions without risk to user privacy. However, even these tactics may not work if users cannot access or understand the information being provided- it must remain simple enough for everyone to understand its implications easily. There should also be limits on what sort of details should be disclosed, such as personal data (especially information that would allow hackers to identify the individual), where there are no threats posed by disclosing this data.
Information sharing can also be carried out through a standards-setting process; this would involve all manufacturers agreeing on a set of standards that allow for more secure products and easier information sharing. However, this could lead to companies self-regulating themselves which may not always work in the best interest of security (for example, concerns over ethical business practices).
A third option is to have security research teams search for vulnerabilities in IoT devices so that they can be addressed quickly and efficiently. It provides faster results than any other method while still allowing manufacturers to address problems as soon as possible without risking user privacy.
There should also be an international strategy in place when dealing with cross-border incidents involving cyberattacks on IoT devices; this would include agreements on how to handle such incidents and the sharing of information between companies. There has been some progress with this regarding cyberattacks that are not caused by-products themselves but rather flaws within their software, which is currently being addressed through a voluntary process. Although it would be preferable for there to be an established international strategy when dealing with cyberattacks, even simply having a set of guidelines and standards for manufacturers would help immensely secure IoT devices as they continue to become integral parts of our everyday lives.