DZone
Thanks for visiting DZone today,
Edit Profile
  • Manage Email Subscriptions
  • How to Post to DZone
  • Article Submission Guidelines
Sign Out View Profile
  • Post an Article
  • Manage My Drafts
Over 2 million developers have joined DZone.
Log In / Join
Refcards Trend Reports Events Over 2 million developers have joined DZone. Join Today! Thanks for visiting DZone today,
Edit Profile Manage Email Subscriptions Moderation Admin Console How to Post to DZone Article Submission Guidelines
View Profile
Sign Out
Refcards
Trend Reports
Events
Zones
Culture and Methodologies Agile Career Development Methodologies Team Management
Data Engineering AI/ML Big Data Data Databases IoT
Software Design and Architecture Cloud Architecture Containers Integration Microservices Performance Security
Coding Frameworks Java JavaScript Languages Tools
Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance Deployment DevOps and CI/CD Maintenance Monitoring and Observability Testing, Tools, and Frameworks
Culture and Methodologies
Agile Career Development Methodologies Team Management
Data Engineering
AI/ML Big Data Data Databases IoT
Software Design and Architecture
Cloud Architecture Containers Integration Microservices Performance Security
Coding
Frameworks Java JavaScript Languages Tools
Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance
Deployment DevOps and CI/CD Maintenance Monitoring and Observability Testing, Tools, and Frameworks
  1. DZone
  2. Data Engineering
  3. Big Data
  4. IoT Security Challenges and 5 Effective Ways to Handle Them

IoT Security Challenges and 5 Effective Ways to Handle Them

There are some major security challenges facing IoT. Let's take a look at how to effectively handle them.

Toby Nwazor user avatar by
Toby Nwazor
·
Nov. 15, 18 · Presentation
Like (6)
Save
Tweet
Share
28.53K Views

Join the DZone community and get the full member experience.

Join For Free

Over the years, the number of devices connected to the Internet has increased exponentially. From a little over 15 billion devices in 2015, over 23 billion devices are connected in 2018.

It is estimated that the figure will exceed the 30 billion mark by 2020 and over 75 billion devices are expected to be connected to the Internet by 2025.

Image title

IoT Security Challenges

The increasing popularity of this concept has raised a lot of security issues, especially privacy concerns that make IoT users susceptible to cyber attacks and identity theft. Major IoT providers also use default or hardcoded passwords that can create room for security breaches. This and many other loopholes can be exploited by cybercriminals to gain remote access to devices and wreak havoc on the devices or the users.

The increasing security threat to IoT underlines the importance of finding practical solutions that may address the issue and drastically reduce the rate at which IoT devices are attacked by criminals operating from the cyberspace.

The DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks that affected IoT services and devices around the world in 2016 is an eye-opener and a proof that the security threat against IoT is real.

However, all hope is not lost. You can put some personal security measures in place to fortify your devices against attacks by harmful cybercriminals. This is where IoT security comes in.

What is IoT Security?

IoT Agenda defines IoT security as “the technology area concerned with safeguarding connected devices and networks in the Internet of Things (IoT).” Simply put, IoT security refers to the precautionary measures taken to beef up the security of IoT devices and reduce their susceptibility to attacks from unauthorized criminals.

Five proven solutions that you may implement to increase the security of your IoT devices are:

1. Use IoT Security Analytics

The vulnerabilities and security issues associated with IoT can be drastically reduced by implementing security analytics. This involves collecting, correlating, and analyzing data from multiple sources that can assist IoT security providers to identify potential threats and nip such threat in the bud.

Thus, there is a need for multi-dimensional security analytics apart from monitoring IoT gateways alone. Malicious and suspicious anomalies can then be identified by correlating data from a wide range of domains. That allows security experts to correct such anomalies and prevent them from having a negative impact on the connected devices.

More so, a spike on the sensor’s CUP, if the devices are still performing its assigned task or other related security issues, can easily be detected. The combination of such valuable pieces of information and threat intelligence data can prove helpful in effectively detecting harmful threats and finding effective solutions to the threats.

2. Use Public Key Infrastructure

Image title


The Public Key Infrastructure is “a set of policies, software/hardware, and procedures, which is required for the creation, management, and distribution of the digital certificates.” This security process has proven over the years to be an effective solution to IoT security issues.

PKI ensures the encryption of data through both asymmetric and symmetric encryption processes. In the former, both the data encryption and decryption is done with the same key while different keys are used for the data encryption and decryption in the latter. The data encryption and decryption ensure that data privacy is maintained and the chances of data theft are reduced to the bare minimum.

Security measure involve using digital certificates for verifying the identity of all the devices connected together in an IoT. It also maintains the privacy of information to keep it away from the reach of potential attackers.

Cryptographic key and X509 digital certificate are some IoT PKI security methods that can be used as well as public or private key management, distribution, and revocation.

3. Ensure Communication Protection

The IoT concept works on communication between the connected devices. However, when communication is compromised, there will be a communication breakdown that can render the devices useless.

Many people don’t know how to prevent putting themselves at risk online regularly. They don’t know that to ensure smooth communication always, the communication should be encrypted. The same principle applies to communication between the connected devices and the interface such as web apps and mobile apps.

Some notable encryptions that can be implemented are AES 256, HTTP, AES 128, and a host of others. This layer of protection renders the interface impregnable to potential hackers.

4.Secure the Network

IoT devices are connected to back-end systems that are already connected to the Internet via an IoT network. This network plays a crucial role in the smooth operation of IoT devices.

To sustain the smooth operation, there is a need for the IoT network to be protected and secured. By employing some endpoint security features like anti-malware, antivirus, intrusion prevention, and firewalls, you can effectively protect the network and secure it against attacks.

5.Ensure Device Authentication

You can also reduce your IoT devices’ vulnerability to attacks if you carry out a comprehensive device authentication for your devices.

There are multiple authentication features that are available for IoT devices. Some, like digital certificates, two-factor authentication, and biometric, ensure that nobody can have unauthorized access to your devices. A potential attacker will need some personal information to gain access to the devices and pieces of information that you are the only one that has access to.

Although using IoT devices is not a crime and poses zero threat, the vulnerability to attacks from the cyberspace makes it important that you secure your devices and reduce your exposure to attacks.

When you implement some of the suggested security options discussed in this piece, rest assured that your IoT devices are well secured against external breach of security. Thus, you will enjoy the numerous benefits of having IoT devices at home, in the office, and somewhere else.

IoT security

Opinions expressed by DZone contributors are their own.

Popular on DZone

  • The Top 3 Challenges Facing Engineering Leaders Today—And How to Overcome Them
  • Visual Network Mapping Your K8s Clusters To Assess Performance
  • DevOps Roadmap for 2022
  • Why Does DevOps Recommend Shift-Left Testing Principles?

Comments

Partner Resources

X

ABOUT US

  • About DZone
  • Send feedback
  • Careers
  • Sitemap

ADVERTISE

  • Advertise with DZone

CONTRIBUTE ON DZONE

  • Article Submission Guidelines
  • Become a Contributor
  • Visit the Writers' Zone

LEGAL

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy

CONTACT US

  • 600 Park Offices Drive
  • Suite 300
  • Durham, NC 27709
  • support@dzone.com
  • +1 (919) 678-0300

Let's be friends: