Internet Of Things (IoT) Security Challenges

As IoT continues to take over the world, many security challenges related to IoT deployment in the consumer and enterprise space are coming to light. The more devices get connected to the internet, the more complex the IoT ecosystem becomes, and the more sensitive information is put to risk.

According to estimates from Safelist, 35% of IT leaders lack confidence in the security of IoT devices. They are afraid that a cybercriminal could gain control of their devices, which could potentially have dire consequences. This is a reasonable concern given the fact that 84% of organizations have already experienced an IoT-related security breach.

Although at this point no one can deny the fact that many industries will benefit from IoT proliferation, there are still those who believe that there are still many loopholes and flaws in connecting everything to the internet, and they have every right to be skeptical.

Kaspersky Lab developers even went as far as labeling IoT as the Internet of Crappy Things, openly criticizing the concept of connecting everything possible to the internet. They may have stepped out of the line a bit there, but one thing is certain - in spite of offering many remarkable benefits, the IoT also raises many concerns regarding the security challenges. In this article, we highlight top security concerns that IoT developers need to address.

Data Encryption

It’s in the very nature of IoT devices to collect vast volumes of data. Data processing and sharing is an integral part of the whole IoT ecosystem. However, most of this data is sensitive and needs protection through encryption.

Secure Socket Layer protocol or SSL can be used to protect your data whenever it gets exposed online. SSL software must not only be used to protect and encrypt the data, but also the wireless protocol side too.

Namely, data is the most vulnerable while it’s being transferred wirelessly, which is why it also needs encryption during the transfer. Sensitive data like locations must be protected from prying eyes and available to the concerned users. Therefore, it’s of the utmost importance that users use a wireless protocol with incorporated encryption.

Side-Channel Attacks

Even with the encryption up and running, the IoT network is still vulnerable to side-channel attacks. These attacks focus on how the information is being presented, rather than the data itself.

Basically, the cybercriminal can use side-channel attacks to access the state of a cryptographic device and its contents. He or she can accomplish this by analyzing and observing information that can be accessed through different technologies.

Attackers analyze the electromagnetic emissions that come out of a device, and non-invasively extract sensitive information from it.

Hardware Issues

Since the inception of IoT, hardware developers have not been able to keep up with the IoT demands. Although IoT devices chipmakers like Intel and ARM have recently started reinforcing their processors for more security, they don’t seem able to find the appropriate solution for security gaps.

One of the issues with chips designed specifically for the Internet Of Things devices is that they cost a small fortune to manufacture. Also, those complexly designed chips will require more battery power, which is definitely a challenge for IoT apps designers.

Device Range

Coverage network of the IoT device is one of the most important features and one that is often overlooked by IoT experts. Manufacturers need to be very specific when setting up a range of metrics for your device or application. For instance, in order to empower the device’s network, they must calculate precisely how many repeaters will be required within an establishment to provide the corresponding communication range for the device.

But manufacturers must be cautious when coming up with an estimate because the capacity of the system could decrease if excessive repeaters are connected to the network. Therefore, it’s paramount to find that sweet spot where the range is maximized without reaching the breaking point.