IoT security is a subset of information technology that focuses on securing connected devices and internet of things networks. When bad actors search for IoT security flaws, they have a high probability of hacking vulnerable devices. Industrial and equipment connected to them robots have also been hacked. Hackers can alter control-loop settings, interfere with manufacturing logic, and change the robot’s status of those devices.

While the Internet of Things revolution benefits manufacturers and consumers, it also comes with significant security concerns. As more devices are connected, the difficulty of securing them all increases dramatically. IoT devices require physical security, software, and network integrity to function correctly. Any connected object, from refrigerators to industrial robots, can be hacked without end-to-end security mechanisms.

What is IoT security?

IoT security refers to the various techniques used to secure connected devices. The term “Internet of Things” is comprehensive. With technology continuing to advance, the term has only grown more so. Today, almost every technological device can connect to the internet or other gadgets, from timepieces to thermostats, refrigerators, and video game consoles. IoT security is a collection of methods, tactics, and tools for securing these devices from being hacked.

IoT security is much more extensive than just protecting the Internet of Things devices. This has led to many IoT security solutions falling under the category. API security, public key infrastructure authentication, and network security are just a few methods that IT executives may utilize to combat the increasing danger of cybercrime and terrorism based on insecure IoT devices.

IoT Security by design

Security by design is a way to ensure that security is a primary consideration at every stage of product development and deployment. By keeping security in mind from the start, you can deliver a secure application or system. Products developed with this approach are called “secure by design.”

Security by design entails building security into software and hardware from the ground up rather than as a post-hacking measure. As technology firms continue to produce a slew of IoT goods for customers and businesses, the need for security by design has never been more critical. Because these internet of things gadgets are linked to the internet, they are vulnerable to remote hacking. Furthermore, most of these gadgets were built without any security measures, making them ideal targets for hackers.

Historically, security requirements in hardware deployments and IoT design instances used to be postponed to late phases of development processes. The secure by design approach changes this by favoring security in every development phase, instead prioritizing speed to market.

The security by design approach requires that IoT security be addressed initially. Devices must be secured in the proper location and at the appropriate level to meet each implementation’s requirements.

A secure IoT architecture must start with security design. Secure data encryption, digital signatures of messages, and over-the-air device and security updates require pre-embedded identifiers and encryption keys.

During the design process, security by design strategy applies to establishing a solid foundation of trusted digital device identifiers and credentials securely stored in the foundations of devices. Device cloning, data falsification, theft, or misuse can all be prevented with secure credentials. Organizations can protect extra sensitive IoT applications against physical and digital access attempts by storing IDs and credentials in tamper-resistant bodies.

IoT security challenges

IoT security is an issue for businesses since the devices they deploy are likely to have several security flaws. IoT devices are not always running the most up-to-date version of their operating systems, which implies that the IoT device’s operating systems may contain known vulnerabilities that attackers can use to control or damage these IoT devices.

• IoT devices rarely come with built-in security mechanisms and tools. Because of this, the attacker has an excellent chance of infecting the devices with malware that allows them to use them in an attack or access sensitive data collected and processed by IoT devices.
• Even those designed to be secure and safe, every software must be maintained with updates to function securely or adequately. The unique deployment problems of IoT devices make it unlikely that they will receive regular upgrades. These security gaps make the devices highly vulnerable to targeted attempts.
• IoT devices face several password-related difficulties. Manufacturers frequently set default passwords for their devices, but users do not change them before or after installation. Manufacturers also embed hardcoded passwords in their systems that users cannot modify. The weak passwords used on these IoT devices put them at significant risk. Attackers can just log in to these systems with little effort using these easily guessed passwords or simple brute-force attacks.
• IoT devices are frequently built to be placed in public and remote areas where a hacker may gain physical access to them. This physical access might enable the intruder to go around existing security measures within the device.
• Specific network protocols have been classified as no longer recommended. because of their lack of built-in security. However, IoT devices are notorious for utilizing these unsecured protocols, putting their data and privacy at risk. IoT security is a crucial element of any organization’s cybersecurity strategy since all these threats represent significant risks.

Common cyberattacks targeted against IoT devices

Due to the popularity of these gadgets being put on business networks, IoT devices pose a significant risk to enterprise cybersecurity. These devices are frequently vulnerable to attacks. Cybercriminals have used these flaws to launch various typical assaults on IoT devices. The common IoT attacks are direct exploitation, botnets, and data breaches.

Printers and scanners are common access points to an organization’s network for hackers. Since everyone needs to be able to use the printer, these devices are rarely protected by firewalls and frequently have exceptional permissions. Attackers may use this to gain initial access to a network via the printer, subsequently expanding their access via the corporate network.

IoT devices are computers linked to the internet, allowing them to be used for automated assaults. Hackers might utilize an IoT device to launch Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, attempt to obtain unlawful entry to user accounts via credential stuffing, spread ransomware or other malware, or take various harmful actions against an organization’s systems if a botnet has compromised it.

Sensitive data, significant operations, and cloud subscription services are all common in IoT devices, making them a significant target for hackers. For example, accessing connected cameras or cloud services might allow attackers to obtain potentially sensitive data or other valuable information.

In 2020, the world experienced an unprecedented increase in cybercrimes amid COVID-19. In fact, data breaches increase 273 percent in the first quarter, compared to 2019, according to a new study from cloud computing company Iomart.

Thanks to the additional vulnerabilities that opened up as people work from home, moves to take everything digital and conduct all business online, and the general confusion caused by the pandemic, cybercriminals have taken full advantage of the situation.

That’s a significant problem on its own, but there’s another issue at hand that makes the situation even worse.

According to a report by (ISC)^2, the number of unfilled cybersecurity positions now stands at 4.07 million, up from 2.93 million this time last year. This includes 561,000 in North America.

The shortage of skilled workers in the industry in Europe has soared by more than 100 percent over the same period, from 142,000 to 291,000.

The report suggests a number of remedies for this situation, including in-house training, bringing employees across from other IT areas and retraining them, and increasing efforts to hire with aptitude in order to bring them up to speed on cybersecurity quickly.

One company has been helping to plug this gap. Cybint – a global cyber education company – recently partnered with LCC International University, an American-style university with students from over 50 countries, to create the Cybint Bootcamp.

Cybint also recently partnered with Israel-based web data provider Webhose and threat protection platform IntSights to provide a more well-rounded learning experience for Cybint users. These companies are part of the company’s effort to join forces with leading cyber technologies, bolstering the tools at its disposal to further reskill the workforce and upskill the cybersecurity industry.

And that’s important, because the shortfall of talent in the cybersecurity industry, combined with the rapid growth in attacks and breaches, is going to need to be dealt with quickly.

“We like to compare the cybersecurity market to that of coding and computer programming a few decades ago,” Roy Zur, CEO and founder at Cybint, told me. “Many of the first pioneers in this field were self-taught or learned by doing, mainly because traditional higher education just hadn’t caught up yet and employers were looking for the skills. Fast-forward, there are coding bootcamps and academies dedicated to this field as an alternative to degree education. Cybersecurity is similar in the way that the demand exists, but the skilled individuals aren’t necessarily coming out of higher education, and if they are, their skills are not always practical or relevant to real life. We believe that there is a huge opportunity for cyber professionals to learn skills quickly and effectively through intensive career bootcamp that are focused on the most in-demand job roles in cybersecurity.”

Security firm McAfee estimates the cost of cybercrime in 2020 reached $1 trillion, a figure that includes both the losses incurred and the amount of money spent on cybersecurity. If businesses are going to get a handle on these costs – which represent a 50 percent increase on 2018 – they are going to have to move fast.

So how long does someone have to train in cyber to become effective and gain employment in the field?

“Traditionally, it’s a matter of going through college and certification,” Zur said. “Alternatively, it could be as quick as three months in the full-time Cybint Cybersecurity Bootcamp. My extensive background in cybersecurity military training mixed with my CPO’s background in building career boot camps at MIT has allowed us to put together a learning experience that is incomparable to what’s currently available. It’s practical, highly-focused, and interactive – exactly the experience that employers are looking for in their candidates.”

That focus on getting students from starting the course to being employable is important to Cybint, and crucial for businesses everywhere.

“We are truly career-focused,” Zur said. “Our end goal is to help our Bootcampers land high-paying and long-term opportunities in the market. We’ve tailored the Cybint Bootcamp and our business model to achieve this to ultimately close the workforce and skills shortage in cybersecurity”

So what’s next for Cybint?

“There are quite a few avenues we can take as we scale,” Zur said. “However we plan to stay true to our mission of tackling the workforce shortage and skills gap through skills learning and collaboration. With that said, we plan to offer the Cybint Bootcamp in more locations worldwide through our partners and expand the cybersecurity roles we train for.”

One thing is certain. With such a huge increase in cybersecurity attacks, and the huge skill gap we’re currently experiencing, 2021 is already set to cost organizations as much as it did in 2020. Those willing to move across to cybersecurity can see this as an opportunity – the cyber market is forecasted to grow to $248.26 billion by 2023, making it a lucrative area, and one that may rival that of other high paid IT roles, such as data science, analysis, and engineering.

This article originally appeared at Grit Daily, and is reproduced with permission.

According to Wade Baker, the main author behind the ‘Data Breach Investigations Report’ series:  “After analysing 10 years of data, we realise most organisations cannot keep up with cybercrime – and the bad guys are winning. … But by applying big data analytics to security risk management, we can begin to bend the curve and combat cybercrime more effectively and strategically.”

The findings will make fighting cyberthreats more targeted, though still a daunting task since organisations may not even realise they have been compromised.  The nine patters named by the DBIR are:    “miscellaneous errors such as sending an email to the wrong person; crimeware (various malware aimed at gaining control of systems); insider/privilege misuse; physical theft/loss; Web app attacks; denial of service attacks; cyberespionage; point-of-sale intrusions; and payment card skimmers.”

Additionally, the report noted that while 92% of attacks well into these nine categories, hackers were even less versatile, using just three patterns for over 70% of any security breaches on average, per industry branch.  Using the power of big data, these trends are finally emerging and the defences against cyberattacks can be more properly and strategically shored up.

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(Image Credit:  Linus Bohman)