Although there is no set of security standards that the IoT industry has agreed upon for manufacturers and developers to use in order to ensure consistent security, there are best practices. IT administrators might have difficulty keeping track of the devices and updating them, even though they can be in place for many years.

Hackers scan networks looking for devices and known vulnerabilities. They increasingly use nonstandard ports to gain network access. It is much easier to detect them once they have access to the device.

These are the IoT security issues IT administrators must address and then implement strategies that prevent.

Related post – Security and Ethical challenges of IT

What is the IoT attack surface?

An attack surface, at its most basic level, is the number of entry points that allow unauthorized system access. An IoT attack surface includes all security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by IoT devices, connected programs, and network connections.

There is growing concern about IoT device security. Threat actors can damage not only the software and network that supports IoT devices but also the devices. IoT device adoption is increasing faster than the protocols and processes that can ensure reliable, secure connections.

While there are many steps organizations can take in order to protect the IoT attack surfaces, these policies require technical expertise and staff to create policies that can detect and react to threats.

1.Botnets

Botnets are a collection of systems that can be used to remotely control and distribute malware. Controlled by botnet operators via Command-and-Control-Servers (C&C Server), they are used by criminals on a grand scale for many things: stealing private information, exploiting online-banking data, DDoS-attacks or spam and phishing emails.

Many objects and devices are at risk of being or already are part of so-called thingbots, which are connected botnets that include independent objects.

Botnets and thingbots are made up of many devices that can be connected together. These devices include computers, tablets, smartphones, tablets, computers, and even smart devices. They share two key characteristics: they can transfer data automatically over a network and they are internet-enabled. While anti-spam technology can detect if one device sends thousands of identical emails, it is much harder to identify if the emails are coming from multiple devices in a botnet. All of them have the same goal: to send thousands of emails to a target, hoping that the platform will crash. However, the botnet is unable to handle the huge volume of requests.

Although botnet attack detection can be difficult, IT administrators can take steps to protect devices. This includes keeping an inventory of all devices. Basic cybersecurity measures should be followed by organizations, including authentication, regular updates, patches, and confirmation of IoT devices meeting security standards and protocols before they are added to the network. To protect the network against a compromised device, IoT devices can be isolated using network segmentation. IT administrators can monitor the network activity to identify botnets, but they must also plan for the entire device lifecycle, including its end of life.

2. DNS threats

Many companies use IoT to gather data from older devices that were not designed with the most recent security standards. Combining legacy devices with IoT can make the network vulnerable to vulnerabilities. IoT device connections often depend on DNS, a 1980s decentralized system for naming devices. This might not be able to handle IoT deployments of thousands of devices. Hackers could use DNS vulnerabilities to attack DNS tunneling and DDoS attacks to gain data or introduce malware.

With Domain Name System Security Extensions, IT administrators can ensure DNS vulnerabilities are not a threat to Internet security. These specifications protect DNS via digital signatures, which ensure that data is correct and unmodified.

DNSSEC verifies that an IoT device is connected to the network to receive a software upgrade. MQ Telemetry Transport protocol standards must be updated and checked for compatibility with other protocols. Multiple DNS services can be used by IT administrators for continuity and additional security.

3. IoT ransomware

IoT ransomware attacks increase with the increasing number of insecure devices that are connected to corporate networks. Hackers infect devices to infect them with malware and then probe access points to find valid credentials to gain entry to the network.

An attacker can access the network through an IoT device and steal data. They will threaten to delete, keep or make public the data unless they are paid a ransom. Ransomware can automatically delete files if payment is not sufficient to allow an organization access all of its data. Ransomware can be harmful to businesses and essential organizations such as government services or food suppliers.

4. IoT security

Although it might seem unlikely that hackers will be able to physically access an IoT device in person, IT managers must remember this possibility when planning an IoT security strategy. Hackers could steal devices and gain access to the ports and inner circuits of the network. IT administrators should only deploy authenticated devices, and allow only authorized and authenticated access to them.

5. Shadow IoT

IT administrators can’t control the devices that connect to their network. This creates an IoT security risk called shadow IoT. Although devices with an IP address, such as fitness trackers or digital assistants, or wireless printers, can be useful for employees or personal convenience, they do not necessarily meet security standards.

IT administrators can’t monitor shadow IoT devices or ensure that they have basic security functions. Hackers can gain access to these devices by using privilege escalation. They may also be able to use the devices as a means of launching a botnet and DDoS attack.

IT administrators can set policies to prevent employees from adding devices to the network that are not in compliance with the IoT policy. Administrators should also have an inventory of all devices connected to the network. Administrators can use IP address management tools and device discovery tools to identify new connections, enforce policies, and block or isolate unknown devices.

6.Social Engineering

Social engineering involves manipulating people to give up their confidential information. Although the types of information criminals seek can vary, they are most likely trying to trick the victim into giving their bank or password information. They could also be trying to gain control of a computer to install malicious software. This will allow them to access personal information and give them control of the computer. Social engineering hacks usually take the form of a phishing email, where they ask you to divulge your personal information or redirect you to legitimate websites such as banking and shopping sites.

7. Identity Theft

Although news stories are full of terrifying and unpredicted hackers accessing data and money using a variety of amazing hacks, it is often us who are our greatest security threat. Poor security of internet-connected devices (e.g. mobile phone, iPad, Kindle, smartwatch, etc.) you are giving in to the hands of malicious thieves or opportunistic lookers.

Identity theft is done by acquiring data. With a bit of patience, you can find a lot. You can get a complete picture of your identity by combining general data with data from social media, fitness trackers, smartwatches and smart meters. A targeted attack on identity theft is easier and more complex if more information can be obtained about the user.

8. Denial of Service

An attack that causes a denial of service (DoS), is when a service that normally works is not available. Unavailability can occur for many reasons, but most often it is due to infrastructure that cannot handle the load because of capacity overload. A distributed denial of service (DDoS), the attack is when multiple systems attack one target. This happens often through a botnet where multiple devices are programmed to request the same service (often without the owner’s knowledge).

DoS is not as intrusive as hacking attacks such as phishing and brute force. However, it can lead to information theft or security loss. The loss of reputation for the company affected can still be costly in terms of time and money. Customers often decide to switch to another company because they are afraid of security breaches or can’t afford a service that isn’t available. A DoS attack is often a target for activists and blackmailers.

How to protect against IoT security threats

IT departments must adopt a multilayered approach for IoT security risk mitigation. While there are many best practices and strategies organizations can use, admins must also be prepared for different types of IoT threats.

IoT security involves both policy enforcement and software to identify and address threats. IoT device managers must have strong password policies and threat detection software in place to prevent any attacks. It is easier to detect potential security threats and risks if an IT team has visibility into the data stored on IoT devices.

To prevent security attacks, IT administrators can use the following basic strategies: device vulnerability assessments, disabling of unneeded services, regular data back-ups, disaster recovery procedures and network segmentation.

IoT security can also be improved by using data protection strategies. Despite the difficulty of IoT deployments due to their distributed nature, it is worth having an additional layer of security. IT teams can protect data with visibility tools, data classification, data encryption measures and data privacy measurements.

Organizations should secure their devices by placing them in a tamper-resistant case. Manufacturers may also include device information on the parts such as model numbers and passwords. To prevent hackers from gaining access to IoT devices, IoT designers must bury conductors in multilayer circuit boards. A device should be protected from hacker access by having a disabled function such as short-circuiting if it is opened.

The Final word

Privacy is a major concern with the IoT. What will happen to consumer data and who will use it? Consumers and businesses have new concerns about the use of their data in an environment that includes your home, office and vehicles as well as appliances and office equipment. To ensure that collected data is protected and kept private, companies will need to review their privacy policies and data security. This will ensure privacy assurances only when companies begin to do this.

Your business will likely be subject to multiple types of attacks, but the goal is to not get distracted by the exploit of each week.

You can invest your time and money into a strong security system. Focus on the most common threats. Provide regular training for your staff so they can spot them when they occur. You should focus on the most serious threats to your business. Security concerns can be addressed with increased security, authentication, and data management.