Internet Of Things security issues 

Cloud computing, artificial intelligence, the internet of things. These are only a few of the things that are bound to reshape the tech industry in the years to come. We are slowly transitioning into a world where almost any smart device has the capability to interact with other devices to create a more seamless experience, even beyond the digital plane and into our very homes. 

So, what exactly is the Internet of Things (IoT)?

The Internet of Things refers to the interconnectivity of smart devices through the internet. This allows your smartphone to communicate with other everyday appliances like your smart refrigerator and vice versa.

I mean, the idea of a refrigerator that’s able to make an inventory of your supplies and to remind you through a pop-up notification on your phone that you have a shortage of a particular food item — and even ask you if you want to place an order for that item in real-time — sounds really cool. 

But there’s just one problem here. When more devices are able to communicate with each other on a certain network, it also follows that there are now more points of ingress that an attacker can exploit to gain entry into the network. So, what are these security threats that you need to be aware of?

Physical Threats

You have to consider that every device connected to your local network is a potential means of ingress into your network. Whether it’s a neighbor trying to get free WiFi or a cybercriminal attempting to steal your credit card information, you need to secure all the devices in your network. It’s also important to ensure that you’re able to remotely erase the data on your phone through phone locations services like Google’s Find Your Android. 

Network Exploits

Networks are considered to be the weakest link in any IoT setup because of the fact that hackers are able to attempt to attack your network without the need to access a physical device. While you could avert attacks through the use of a VPN, corporate users might want to consider a more potent security measure like a PCI rapid comply portal. 

Data Protection and Encryption

Another potential security weak point can be during the transmission of data. There are two issues related to this. The first is when your data is intercepted while it is being sent from your device to another device. Another is when your data is collected without your knowledge and transmitted without your permission, like in the instance of Blu phones sending user data such as messages, call logs and contacts to China. 

Cloud Server Security

Finally, another glaring issue that could arise from IoT is that of cloud server security. Hackers tend to overload these servers in order to render them non-functional by generating fake requests to the server. Minimizing the number of open ports as well as encrypting the data that travels between your devices and the cloud server are effective ways to prevent this. If you work in a corporate environment, you also might want to get these cloud app security essentials in order to bolster your ability to ward off cloud-based attacks. 

As we enter the age of wireless technology, it’s important to remember to evolve along with our technology. That often entails that we have to continue to learn about new technology in order to create effective cyber security measures to combat the advent of new threats. 

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