As the number of users of IoT devices grows, the manufacturers of these devices are focusing on increasing production without paying enough attention to security.
Most of these devices are not getting enough updates, and some of them have never gotten a single update. This means that these products are secure at the time of purchase, but vulnerable when hackers discover some bug or security issue.
Without regular release of hardware and software updates, devices remain vulnerable to attack. Regular updates are a must for any product that connects to the Internet, and the lack of updates can lead to data breaches for customers and companies.
2. Potential threats using default credentials
Many IoT companies sell devices with default credentials, such as an administrator username, provided to consumers. Hackers only need the username and password to attack the device, and when they know the username, they perform a brute-force attack to compromise the device.
The Mirai botnet attack is an example of a device that was attacked using default credentials. Consumers are supposed to change the default credentials as soon as they get the device, but most manufacturers don't account for this in their usage guides. Without updates to the usage guide, all devices are at risk of being attacked.
3. Maliciousness and extortion
The rapid development of IoT products has made cyberattacks defensible. Today, cybercrime has evolved to a new level - banning consumers from using their own devices.
For example, a networked webcam can access private information from a home or office when the system is hacked. Attackers would encrypt the webcam system and not allow consumers to access any information. Since the system contains personal data, they will demand that consumers pay a large sum of money to recover their data.
4. Predicting and Preventing Attacks
Cybercriminals are actively looking for new security threat techniques. In this case, it's not just about finding vulnerabilities and fixing them, but also learning to predict and prevent new threat attacks.
The security challenge is a long-term challenge to the security of connected devices. Modern cloud services utilize threat intelligence to predict security issues, and other such technologies include AI-based monitoring and analysis tools. However, adapting these technologies in the IoT is complex because connected devices need to process data instantly.
5. It's hard to find out if a device has been compromised
While there's no guarantee of 100 percent protection from security threats and breaches, the problem with IoT devices is that most users have no way of knowing if their device has been hacked.
When there are massive IoT devices, it is difficult even for service providers to monitor all of them. That's because IoT devices require applications, services and protocols for communication, and as the number of devices increases significantly, so does the number of things to manage.
As a result, many devices continue to operate without users realizing they have been hacked.
6. Data Protection and Security Challenges
In this interconnected world, data protection has become very difficult as it can be transferred between multiple devices in a matter of seconds. One moment it's stored in a mobile device, the next minute it's stored on the web and then in the cloud.
All this data is transmitted over the Internet, which can lead to data breaches. Not all devices that transmit or receive data are secure, and once the data is leaked, hackers can sell it to other companies that violate data privacy and security rights.
Additionally, even if data is not leaked from the consumer side, service providers may not comply with regulations and laws, which can also lead to security incidents.
7. Use of autonomous systems for data management
From a data collection and network perspective, the amount of data generated by connected devices is too much to handle.
There is no doubt that it requires the use of AI tools and intelligence. IoT administrators and network experts must set new rules to easily detect traffic patterns.
But there is a bit of risk in using these tools, as even the slightest error in configuration can lead to outages. This is critical for large organizations in the healthcare, financial services, power and transportation industries.
8. Home security
Today, more and more homes and offices are getting smarter through IoT connectivity, and large builders and developers are powering apartments and entire buildings with IoT devices. While it's great that homes are getting smarter, not everyone knows the best steps to take in the face of IoT security.
Even if IP addresses are exposed, it can lead to the exposure of residential addresses and other contact information for consumers. An attacker or interested party could use this information for undesirable purposes, which puts the smart home at potential risk.
9. Security of self-driving vehicles
Just like homes, self-driving vehicles or vehicles that utilize IoT services are at risk. Smart vehicles can be hijacked by skilled hackers from remote locations, and once they get in, they can take control of the car, which can be very dangerous for passengers.
What are the security issues facing the IoT today? Zhongjingyuan IoT (www.zjyiot.com) warmly reminds us that there is no doubt that the emergence of IoT is a boon. However, because IoT connects everything together, it is vulnerable to some kind of security threat. Big companies and cybersecurity researchers are doing their best to create the perfect product for consumers, but more needs to be done.