Like any other latest technology, the Internet of Things or IoT is still in developing stage. There is much to improve and enhance in this technology. In this article, we will explain the security challenges in IoT and how you can deal with them. So, read the article till the end.
What is IoT?
Internet of Things means a network of various interconnected devices (also known as things that are daily use objects) that are also connected to the internet. These devices are integrated with sensors and software to transfer data. Generally, IoT is developed to make an object do its task without human intervention.
IoT has applications in almost every industry. IoT for businesses, Industrial IoT, IoT for Household objects, etc. It is one of the emerging technologies, so it has numerous security issues. Here, we will discuss some of the major security concerns of IoT.
Most Common Security Challenges in IoT
As the Internet of Things is still in its initial phase, it has various vulnerabilities that lead to multiple security challenges.
1. Ransomware Attacks and Cryptojacking
Ransomware is a malicious program that makes the victim’s information inaccessible. A hacker who implants ransomware in your device asks for money to release the information. It is one of the significant security challenges with IoT.
IoT devices generally use an unencrypted data transfer mode. So, any hacker can easily intrude on malicious programs in the connection. Once added to your device, it makes the data inaccessible without being noticed by the user. Even worst, it can modify your private data.
Another concept related to introducing a virus into your system is Cryptojacking. In this technique, hackers add many bots for crypto mining. If the data consumption of your IoT network has increased drastically, chances are high that your network has become a victim of cryptojacking.
2. Not Changing Default Password
IoT devices come with a default password, similar to the same type of devices. Ideally, it should be changed as soon as possible, but often, users do not change it.
Now, you have figured out that hackers can easily breach your connection because the default passwords are general and easy to identify. Not changing the default password is a prime security issues as your login credentials are not confidential.
3. Lack of Product Testing
With the increasing demand for IoT devices, companies are manufacturing products at a very high rate. Because of this, they do not have sufficient time and resources to conduct proper testing of the product before its launch in the market.
It renders the product vulnerable to hackers. General updates are available, but plenty of voids still remain to breach the software.
4. Adopting Legacy Devices
Legacy devices are those that have become outdated. Appropriate software is not available to properly integrate them with the latest IoT device network. Now, the major challenge with them is that they have various loopholes to enter the malicious program. Using these devices with your IoT system make the entire network susceptible to security issues.
Another drawback of these devices is that they do not have any recent updates. If there is any, it does not have the required security standard.
So, it is advised to avoid adopting these legacy devices in your IoT system. They can open doors to various security threats.
5. Absence of Adequate Skills and Knowledge
Not only users but also majority of OT management members lack in sufficient skills and knowledge. They do not know how to fix general issues. A major reason for this is that the IoT is still in its initial phase. It is evolving continuously. Every day a new update is released. So, it becomes difficult to match the pace.
Therefore, the organization designing the product must provide a proper briefing about how to install the product and fix a minor issue.
6. Login without Verification
When we log in to our Gmail account, we are prompted to complete a two-step verification. It enhances the security and eliminates the chances of unauthorized access. However, in the IoT system, multi-factor authentication is disabled by default.
Anyone can access your IoT network by a single password. It indicates that security is vulnerable. As we described above, users do not change the default password. So, any hacker can easily identify the login credentials of the network.
So, to prevent data breach, you need to enable the additional verification factor and enhance the security.
7. No Software Updates
Because of the high demand for IoT devices in the market, companies are manufacturing IoT tools at a significant rate. Therefore, developing any update for their products has been compromised.
It is a great security threat. Once the vulnerability of a device is identified, it spreads very fastly among the hackers, and they will breach the security easily. With every update, this susceptibility will get removed. So, if there is no update, it simply means, it is a matter of time before your data is hacked by someone.
These are the major security challenges. The list for security issues is even longer. Now, let us talk about what safety measures you can take to reduce the chances of hacking.
What Should You Do to Counter the Security Issues?
Making some general changes and adopting a secure mode of communication can significantly improve the security of your IoT network.
1. Change the Default Password
After installing the IoT device, the first thing you should do is change the default login credentials. Not only that, try to change the password at regular intervals.
2. Enable Multi step Authentication
Adding an additional wall of security will reduce the chance of hacking to a great extent. It ensures that only authentic users can access the data.
3. Use Secure connection
Adopting an encrypted connection is very necessary. An unencrypted connection generally leaves room to enter malicious programs. Therefore, it is necessary to use an encrypted connection to secure data transmission.
4. Avoid the use of Legacy Devices
We explained how legacy devices compromise the security of your connection. So, try to use the latest technology. It helps maintain the security of your IoT network.
5. Learn more about IoT Devices
Getting sufficient knowledge of IoT devices is also crucial for the OT management team, as well as for users. You should know how to fix minor issues. So, you can work more efficiently with these devices.
Key Takeaways
IoT technology is very useful in almost every industry. However, it has various security issues. We described the major challenges that come with IoT technology and how you can resolve them.
