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Top Security Threat – IoT Threats

sujosutech

Updated: Jan 24

The Internet of Things (IoT) includes several devices that are connected online. These include household appliances (television, refrigerator, light bulb etc.), as well as industrial equipment. The absence of strong security features in some of these devices make them susceptible to cyber attacks.



IoT devices can face several types of attacks. They can be subjected to physical attacks, wherein attackers can gain unauthorized physical access to the devices, causing malfunctions or unauthorized data access. By exploiting vulnerabilities in IoT devices’ security protocols, attackers can perpetrate Denial of Service (DoS), or Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Attackers can create botnets by hijacking IoT devices, and use them for malicious activities. Attackers may carry out Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks to eavesdrop on sensitive data, or inject malicious content. Attackers can exploit weak credentials of IoT devices to gain unauthorized access for carrying out malicious activities. Attackers may also tamper with the firmware to gain control over IoT devices and perform unauthorized activities.

There has been a steady increase in IoT attacks in recent times. In 2022, there were about 112 million IoT attacks worldwide, as compared to 32 million attacks in 2018.


Impact

  • Organizations may suffer from downtime and loss of productivity.

  • IoT attacks can cause data breaches and theft of intellectual property. These can result in significant financial losses for the affected organization.

  • Data may be tampered, leading to loss of integrity.

  • IoT attacks may damage an organization’s brand image, leading to loss of customer base.

  • Breach of sensitive data may cause organizations to face litigations.

Controls

  • Organizations should implement a comprehensive security policy.

  • Organizations should protect IoT devices by keeping them in tamper-resistant cases, if possible. Printed information, like model numbers or part numbers, should be removed from the devices.

  • Software should be procured / downloaded only from trusted sources.

  • Latest security patches and updates should be installed in all system and application software.

  • Anti-malware should be installed and updated at regular intervals.

  • Proper identity and access management must be implemented. Organizations should enforce multifactor authentication.

  • There should be strong end-to-end encryption on all network traffic and resources.

  • Critical data and resources should be securely backed-up at regular intervals.

  • Periodic security assessments and audits should be conducted to detect and remove vulnerabilities from devices and systems.

  • Users should be provided with continuous training on how to identify and mitigate security breaches.


How Sujosu Can Help

Sujosu Technology can help you identify areas of concern and assess your application and infrastructure security risk. Our consultants can suggest appropriate countermeasures and provide awareness / training to prevent, detect, identify, and recover from security attacks. Engage with us and remain cyber-secure.

 

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