What is IoT?
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of devices and physical objects, which use embedded electronics to collect data through sensors, process and transmit that data to other network nodes, as well as react on that data by creating a real-world effect through actuators (Deshmukh and Sonavane 2017; Koutras et al., 2020). The growing use of networked technologies in many sectors, including transportation, manufacturing, agriculture, retail and healthcare to name but a few, has resulted in novel tech uses aiming to boost reliability, efficiency and quality of products and services (Kandasamy et al. 2020, p.2). However, this trend has also resulted in new privacy and security risks being introduced to systems.
What are the risks of using IoT?
Due to the interconnectivity of IoT devices with other networked systems, their use can potentiate the risks to sensitive information that might on the surface seem secure because it resides on a different computer or device.
In this sense, concerns related to IoT device security are not new, however their increasing use in recent years has brought more publicity to instances in which their use was concerning. Already in 2007 for example, many news outlets reported on the fact that the WIFI antenna on the pacemaker of the then vice president of the United States Dick Cheney had to be disabled due to the concerns that it might be compromised by a malicious individual with the intent to cause bodily harm or even death.[1]
While connected devices that power our homes, cars, fridges and other conveniences might seem innocuous, their use is not risk free and should be carefully considered, especially when applied in a business setting in which the entrepreneur can be held responsible for the device’s shortcomings, if it has an impact on customer data.
What we offer?
At BITSEC we work together with our customers to leverage available technologies such as IoT to help meet business objectives in a secure and effective way. We will assess your business objectives with you and help you get the most out of the technologies you are using, providing value to your clients in a secure and compliant way.
[1] https://www.vice.com/en/article/kbzea3/hacking-dick-cheneys-heart
Deshmukh, S., & Sonavane, S.S. (2017). Security protocols for Internet of Things: A survey. 2017 International Conference on Nextgen Electronic Technologies: Silicon to Software (ICNETS2): 71-74.
Koutras, D., Stergiopoulos, G., Dasaklis, T., Kotzanikolaou, P., Glynos, D., & Douligeris, C. (2020). Security in IoMT Communications: A Survey. Sensors 20(17).
Kandasamy, K., Srinivas, S., & Achuthan, K. (2020). IoT cyber risk: a holistic analysis of cyber risk assessment frameworks, risk vectors, and risk ranking process. EURASIP J. on Info. Security 8(1).