Can IoT Devices Expose a Network to Threats?

A decade ago, the Internet of Things (IoT) was hailed as one of the next big things in technology. Today, it’s completely integrated into the technological landscape at every level, from personal devices at home to office equipment. 

While IoT has incredible benefits, it’s also brought some security vulnerabilities with more devices connected to networks. Consider this statistic: over 1.5 billion IoT breaches occurred just in the first half of 2021. 

For enterprises using Internet-enabled smart devices within their network, securing them just like any other critical IT asset is essential. And using IoT for business isn’t simply a choice but a necessity.

From manufacturing to fleet management, IoT has unprecedented benefits that can help increase the efficiency, safety, and profitability of doing business.

In this article, we will discuss the following:

• What the IoT landscape looks like today.
• Why IoT security is so important.
• How to secure IoT devices.

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A Glance at the IoT Landscape

There were over 13 billion IoT devices in 2022, and this is projected to rise to nearly 30 billion by 2030. 

IoT encompasses many “things” that connect to the Internet and gather and analyze data. Therefore, this technology also relies on data analytics, the cloud, and even Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

IoT enables seamless communication between devices and users in businesses, enabling companies to learn more about their processes, products, services, and customers. One area where IoT has proven indispensable is operations. With sensors noting every little detail of processes, teams can optimize operations and detect issues in the early stages. 

For instance, IoT devices in data centers can measure environmental conditions like temperature or energy usage to help these businesses run their servers and storage more cost-effectively. 

Similarly, in manufacturing, sensors can be deployed on machinery that helps with predictive maintenance. In other words, these sensors attached to IoT gateways can provide critical information about the state of the equipment producing products. 

Even in corporate workplaces, IT devices may be used for asset tracking, safety monitoring, climate control, or even vending machines. 

In short, the scope of IoT is ever-expanding, and it has integrated into virtually every industry. 

Security Threats With IoT Devices 

As soon as an IoT device comes online, it comes under attack within five minutes. That’s what the Threat Intelligence Report discovered in 2019. IoT devices are vulnerable to certain attacks that malicious parties can use to infiltrate the wider network.

That’s mainly because of weak security configurations on these devices. Even the OWASP Top 10 IoT list mentioned this vulnerability in 2018; things haven’t improved significantly since then.

Image: source

This became clear as early as 2016 with the Mirai Botnet. Such bots can infect many devices within a single organization, mainly through unprotected ports or other less apparent vulnerabilities. 

The attackers would then create a network of devices to implement a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS). 

Another common threat to IoT devices is the Domain Name System (DNS). IoT devices that connect with legacy devices to collect data use DNS. This old system is not capable of handling the scale of IoT devices. 

Historically, attackers have used the Telnet protocol, a command-line interface to attack networks through vulnerable IoT devices remotely. 

Right now, the most alarming threat to IoT devices is ransomware. Attackers can infect devices with malware that causes them to be used as botnets. They can then use access points to search for credentials and enter the network to steal or block access to data. 

According to Check Point Research, ransomware attacks are the number one security threat in the world currently. 

Why Is IoT Security So Important?

In many situations, IoT attacks may not pose a significant threat to an organization. For instance, if an IoT device for personal use comes under attack, it may not necessarily impact the organization behind that device. However, it can tarnish the reputation of the company. 

More importantly, such devices often collect data from user interactions and their environment, which may contain private information about people. A compromise of such information can quickly become a non-compliance issue for the company that collected the data through the device. 

IoT devices may not be the most critical effect within an organization’s network, but attacks on these devices may result in more significant problems. As mentioned above, attackers can use these devices to find their way into critical network components. They can disrupt critical operations and steal valuable data. 

Securing IoT Devices That Are Part of Your Network

The security vulnerabilities of IoT shouldn’t hinder you from incorporating these devices for your business. The return on investment (ROI) from IoT implementations can be massive, as seen in the case of HSB, whose clients reported over 500 percent ROI. 

You can avoid security pitfalls by extending the same strict standards to these IoT devices. Here are some ways:

Next-Gen Firewall

Go back to the basics of securing your network and IoT devices by deploying the best defense, a reliable firewall. In this regard, a next-generation firewall can go one step further than a traditional firewall.

Image: source

Such firewalls can filter traffic deeply and inspect for viruses, malware, and other possible threats. Moreover, you can customize the rules for blocking traffic and going through. So they can prevent intrusion via IoT devices or any other network effect for that matter.

Device Inventory and Monitoring

Maintain an inventory of the devices in your network, including IoT ones. This should include type, quantity, firmware version, sensitivity, access tier, et cetera. 

By collecting this information, you can get a sense of each device's access, the level of security it currently has, and, therefore, how vulnerable it is. 

Similarly, you should include these devices in your security monitoring efforts. Most large enterprises utilize network and security monitoring tools that you can leverage to keep an eye on the behavior of IoT devices. 

Network Segmentation

You don’t necessarily need all IoT devices to be at the same level as more critical network components. You can limit the extent of access to these devices through network segmentation. In other words, you can isolate more critical segments. 

This will minimize impact even in the unfortunate case of an attack on an IoT device being successful. 

Choose PivIT for the Latest Firewalls for Your Network

As you embrace IoT for optimizing your operations and growing your business, don’t take security for granted. Regardless of your business niche, IoT has the potential to increase your revenue and decrease costs. However, it can quickly go the other way if you don’t secure the device. 

Deploying the next-gen firewall can protect your network from common cyber threats that may exploit IoT devices. PivIT can provide you with the industry-best next-gen firewalls that are better able to prevent attacks. Choose from major brands like Cisco, Juniper, and Palo Alto to secure your network. 

Furthermore, use stringent security policies, isolate critical segments of the network, and limit access to IoT devices to only what they need. IoT is incredibly beneficial to organizations, but ensuring it is secure is of the utmost priority — let PivIT give you that peace of mind.