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Devices and networks connected to the Internet of Things are protected by Internet of Things (IoT) security. Computer equipment, machinery and digital equipment, objects, animals and/or humans are connected to the Internet through the Internet of Things. Each "thing" has a unique identifier and the ability to automatically transmit data through the network. As long as gadgets are not adequately protected, they are vulnerable to a series of major vulnerabilities. Due to many high-profile incidents, IoT security has become increasingly important. This is important for networks that connect IoT devices. Technologies, methods, protocols, and activities can be used to minimize the growing IoT vulnerabilities of modern organizations.

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The protection technology used to protect Internet connections or network-based devices is called IoT security. The term Internet of Things (IoT) is very broad, and as technology continues to advance, the term will only become larger. Almost every electronic product may communicate with the Internet or other devices in some way.

IoT security refers to the methods, strategies and technologies used to prevent these devices from being hacked. Ironically, the inherent connections of IoT devices expose them to hackers.

Due to the wide range of the Internet of Things, the security of the Internet of Things is much broader. Therefore, a wide range of technologies now fall within the scope of IoT security. They are just a small part of the strategies that IT executives may adopt to deal with the increasing dangers of cybercrime and cyberterrorism rooted in unsafe IoT devices.

As gadgets have more and more ways to connect to each other, the opportunities for threat actors to intercept devices increase. Cybercriminals can intercept the protocols used by IoT devices to communicate, such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and APIs. The Internet of Things (IoT) does not only cover gadgets connected to the Internet. In addition to devices that support Bluetooth, all IoT devices require IoT security. Due to such negligence, data breaches related to the Internet of Things have recently increased. IoT security issues continue to pose a threat to the financial security of individuals and businesses.

Because of their Internet-based connections, IoT devices provide a greater attack surface than traditional technologies. Even if this level of accessibility is very beneficial, hackers will try to use it to remotely interact with the device. Therefore, hacker activities such as phishing are particularly effective in stealing personal information. In order to protect assets, IoT security, like cloud security, must control a large number of access points.

Due to the digital transformation of enterprises, certain industries and their products have also undergone digital transformation. To increase productivity and efficiency, industries such as transportation and healthcare have recently expanded their various IoT devices. It also leads to greater reliance on technology than ever before.

However, reliance on technology may magnify the impact of successful data breaches. These companies are increasingly relying on IoT devices, which is very shocking. In addition, it is costly and requires many healthcare and automotive companies to work hard to protect their equipment. Therefore, due to this industry-wide lack of foresight, many companies and manufacturers are facing increasing cyber security risks.

As the new digital industry has discovered, this is not only a lack of foresight in IoT security. The resource constraints of many of these devices further hinder IoT security. Some IoT devices do not have the processing power to run complex firewalls or anti-virus software, so they cannot be equipped with these functions. Only a few gadgets can connect with other devices. For example, Bluetooth-enabled IoT devices have recently become the target of a wave of data breaches. Sadly, the automotive industry suffered the most severe blow in this attack.

Design your system using IoT security methods.

Starting with the development of any consumer, enterprise, or industrial IoT device, adopting better R&D methods may solve most prominent security issues. Security must be enabled by default, and the latest operating system and security hardware should be used. For IoT developers, it is very important to understand the network security risks at each stage, not just in the design process. For example, you can protect them by putting the keys in a metal box or away from windows and corridors.

It is strongly recommended to use a public key infrastructure (PKI) to protect the client-server communication between many networked devices. PKI promotes the encryption and decryption of private communications and interactions using digital certificates by using a dual-key asymmetric cryptographic system. The customer plaintext they enter on the web page can be privately protected. Without PKI, e-commerce is impossible.

Threat actors can remotely manipulate IoT devices through the network. Since networks may contain digital and physical components as access points, IoT security should be able to support them at the same time. In some cases, anti-malware, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems/intrusion prevention systems can be used to prevent threats such as unwanted IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. 

Most complex websites are built on APIs. For example, these systems allow travel agencies to collect flight information from different airlines into a database. Therefore, API security needs to be protected, and only authorized applications and personnel can access and modify data. These things help us ensure the accuracy of data transmitted from IoT devices to the system. Unfortunately, hackers can disrupt these communication channels. For example, T-data Mobile's leak in 2018 clearly illustrated what could happen. Due to the "API leak", the mobile giant leaked the personal data (zip codes, phone numbers...) of more than 2 million users.

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From smart houses to factories to connected cars, IoT security breaches can occur anywhere and in any department. Therefore, the degree of impact varies depending on the system, the data collected, and/or the information contained.

Life-threatening situations include cyber attacks that cause the brakes of connected cars to fail or hacker attacks that allow connected health devices (such as insulin pumps) to overdose patients. The refrigeration system monitored by the Internet of Things may be attacked, and if the temperature changes, it will destroy the medicine. Attacks may also have devastating consequences for critical infrastructure such as oil wells, power grids, or water supply systems.

On the other hand, threats from other attacks cannot be ignored. For example, a cyber attack on a smart door lock may allow a thief to enter the house. Hackers may also use linking devices (such as the HVAC system in the Target example) to collect personally identifiable information, thereby causing confusion to affected individuals.

All in all, companies applying IoT technology must check and manage the security threats posed by IoT hardware and software connections in order to take advantage of IoT. They need to take measures as soon as possible to protect their equipment, network and data.

Articles after IoT communication security first appeared on Speranza.

*** This is a security blog network joint blog from IoT blog – Speranza written by Allen. Read the original post: https://www.speranzainc.com/communication-security-in-iot/