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editor’ s question per the Federal Trade Commission global analysis, 10,000 IoT devices can generate 150 million discrete data points every day. This creates more entry points for hackers and leaves sensitive information vulnerable.
VISHAL BHAWNANI,
The proliferation of IoT has enabled the
PRACTICE HEAD – collection of big data. Smart sensors are gathering information for use in machine
CYBER SECURITY learning algorithms to add value to
ASSURANCE AT businesses and promote informed
PROVISE decision making.
SECURE LAB
Even if precautions are taken to secure data, the level of sophistication ntroducing IoT exhibited by cyberattackers is
I technologies remarkable. Attacks can be crafted within not just from public networks but organisations from private sources such as cars, is a benefit to smartphones and even smart homes. the information technology Complex IoT architecture domain. This growth carries several magnifies cyber-risks advantages as it will change the way technologists carry out everyday tasks By connecting a greater diversity of IoT and potentially transform the technology devices to networks, this brings with and cybersecurity landscape. it the associated risks. To put this into perspective, there are more than three But these advantages are weighted with billion smartphones currently in use some cybersecurity risks, as the increase globally and eight billion IoT devices. in IoT technologies motivates hackers The scale is substantial and it is only and cybercriminals to aim for entry points growing. As per Gartner, over 20 billion so that they can craft an attack for their IoT devices [ are likely ] to be connected lucrative gains. Potential cybersecurity through networks by 2020 which can be risks to get introduced within any hacked or compromised. organisation due to IoT technologies can be classified as follows:
Eavesdropping
Data theft and data privacy
The sheer amount of data that IoT devices can generate is staggering. As
Hackers could use a connected device to virtually invade a person’ s home or any smart devices. Researchers accomplished this by intercepting unencrypted data from a smart meter device to determine what television show someone was watching at that moment. Unauthorised physical access to smart devices; deliberate manipulation of an IoT operation. Other cybersecurity risks are:
• Theft of personally identifiable information from manufacturer or third-party storage systems
• Extortion enabled by ransomware that renders inoperable of IoT smart device until a ransom is paid. The risk of ransomware has so far affected ordinary individuals, hospitals and other institutions
• Hijacking IoT systems to enable malicious cyberactivity: if the systems are / would be used as command and control infrastructure for illicit cyberactivity
To conclude, the above-mentioned cybersecurity risks within organisations are due to introducing IoT technologies. However, these IoT technologies support modern organisations in balancing the cybersecurity risks by:
• Secret Handshake which will balance data theft and privacy cybersecurity risk
• Usability of pattern recognition that will balance or mitigate the risk of ransomware affecting the organisations
• Increase of cloud computing will lead as a frontier from technology aspects which balances the risk of hijacking and data security between systems / applications
• Complex IoT architecture will resolve the culture of remote connectivity to networks which should balance the risk of eavesdropping
28 Issue 03 | www. intelligentciso. com