What Is IoT Security? Challenges and Requirements

IoT security is based on a cybersecurity strategy to protect IoT devices and the vulnerable networks they connect to from cyber attacks. IoT devices have no built-in security. IoT security is needed to help prevent data breaches because IoT devices transfer data over the internet unencrypted and operate undetected by standard cybersecurity systems.

Along with the meaning of IoT Security, it is important to understand the many challenges facing enterprises when dealing with IoT security issues. IoT devices were not built with security in mind. The ongoing proliferation and diversity of IoT devices and communications channels  increases the potential for your organization to be exposed to cyber threats. 

Unfortunately, there is no way to install security software on most IoT devices. IoT devices may even ship with malware on them that infects the network when they connect. This is why network security is a priority for IoT security.

Many network security solutions do not have the ability to detect connected IoT devices or show which devices are communicating on the network. The following sections explore these and other big IoT security challenges including:

• Weak authentication and authorization
  
• Lack of encryption
• Vulnerabilities in firmware and software
• Insecure communications
• Difficulty in patching and updating devices

IoT devices often rely on weak authentication and authorization practices, which makes them vulnerable to threats. For example, many devices use default passwords making it easier for hackers to gain access to IoT devices and the networks they use for communication. In addition, rogue IoT devices (i.e., undetected) that are connected to the network can be used to steal data or launch attacks.

The overwhelming majority of IoT device network traffic is unencrypted making confidential and personal data vulnerable to a malware attack such as ransomware or other form of data breach or theft. This includes IoT devices used for medical imaging and patient monitoring, as well as security cameras and printers.

The short development cycles and low price points of IoT devices limit the budget for developing and testing secure firmware. Without this built-in IoT security, IoT devices are vulnerable to the most rudimentary forms of attack. From firmware to software and third-party apps–millions of devices are affected by vulnerabilities in standard components.

Plus, network environments can be compromised by vulnerable web apps and software for IoT devices. Whether it is a new threat or old malware, without IoT security, all types of vulnerabilities make IoT devices good targets for savvy bad actors to stage cyberattacks.

IoT devices are often connected to the same network as other devices, which means that an attack on one device can spread to others. Lack of network segmentation and oversight of the ways IoT devices communicate makes them easier to intercept. For example, not long ago the automotive industry’s adoption of Bluetooth technology in IoT devices resulted in a wave of data breaches that made the news. As well, protocols like HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and API–are all channels that IoT devices rely on and cyber criminals exploit.

For example, in 2022, millions of Buetooth digital locks in smart cars could be remotely unlocked by hackers exploiting a vulnerability in Bluetooth technology. As well, protocols like HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and API-are channels that IoT devices rely on and cyber criminals can exploit.

IoT manufacturers don’t focus on building IoT security into their devices to make hardware tamper proof and secure. Many IoT devices are not designed to receive regular IoT security updates, which makes them vulnerable to attacks. Without built-in IoT security it’s difficult to ensure secure upgrades, provide firmware updates and patches, and perform dynamic testing. Therefore, the onus is on the organization to protect its IoT devices and network environment from cyber threats.

The IoT attack surface expands every day as more and more devices come online–from our smartwatches and smart TVs, to our smart homes and smart cars, to the ever-growing industry IoT.  In addition to consumer goods, IoT sensors are widely used in healthcare, manufacturing, and supply chain operations, as well as for green agriculture, the economy, and national defense. 

Burgeoning IoT spans virtually any device or sensor that connects to the internet-from a large container on an ocean barge to a small Tile Tracker for your phone. To underscore, the IEEE IoT technology forecast of connected devices is expected to increase by about 300% from 8.7 billion devices in 2020 to more than 25 billion IoT devices in 2030.

Given the expanded attack surface for security risks to availability, integrity and confidentiality, IoT security is critical for organizations to protect their network environments from IoT device-borne threats. 

IoT and security requirements can only be accomplished with an integrated solution that delivers visibility, segmentation, and protection throughout the entire network infrastructure, such as a holistic security fabric approach.

Your IoT security must contain the following key abilities:

• Learn: With complete network visibility, security solutions can authenticate and classify IoT devices to build a risk profile and assign them to IoT device groups.
• Segment: Once the enterprise understands its IoT attack surface, IoT devices can be segmented into policy-driven groups based on their risk profiles.
• Protect: The policy-driven IoT groups and internal network segmentation enable monitoring, inspection, and policy enforcement based on the activity at various points within the infrastructure.

IoT security requirements support an IoT security strategy that is specific to the business, industry, and network environment. There is a broad swath of protection to be considered in addition to the rigor of practicing administrative oversight, conducting regular patches and updates, enforcing use of strong passwords, and focusing on Wi-Fi security. 

Monitoring network and device behavior to detect deviations is a best practice to detect malware from an IoT device vulnerability.  Another best practice is network segmentation of IoT devices whereby they connect to a separate network to isolate vulnerable devices and threats to prevent malware from spreading across the enterprise. Applying zero-trust network access provides an additional layer of security. 

With the limited configuration capabilities of many IoT devices, instead of trying to secure the IoT firmware and software, you can protect your IoT environment with security solutions that provide multiple layers of protection including endpoint encryption. 

As the IoT and the cloud converge, consider securing the technologies with another layer of cloud-based security solutions that also add processing capabilities to devices at the edge.

There are many different protocols used by IoT devices from internet protocols and network protocols to Bluetooth and other communications protocols. Understanding the protocols your devices use can help reduce security risks.

Industries that rely on GPS for critical operations should monitor their GPS connected devices for potential security issues such as fake or jammed GPS signals.

Attackers prey on negligence. They take advantage of organizations that do not oversee IoT devices that are connected to the corporate network. These devices can include anything from  rogue devices to overlooked routers with outdated firmware. Understanding the risk of each device that is connected to your network and monitoring individual behavior is critical to prevent cyber attacks.

Also essential to IoT security is maintaining a full inventory of networked devices on the corporate network. Finding a solution that can discover–in minutes–all the IoT connections within your network should be a top priority.

Authentication is one of the most crucial security measures for an engineer to consider in an IoT deployment. IT administrators can determine which IoT authentication and authorization type, such as one-way, two-way, or three-way, will serve the organization best based on the mechanism’s latency and data requirements.

As mentioned above (e.g., default passwords), most IoT devices come with poor authentication. When deploying IoT devices, similar to websites and web apps, one of the best methods for IT admins to secure IoT devices is to use digital certificates. IoT device certificates are integral to an IoT security strategy.

The primary purpose of encryption is to protect the confidentiality of digital data stored on computer systems or transmitted over the internet or any other computer network. IoT encryption is a key player in securing many different types of IoT devices. By encrypting data communications from IoT devices, an organization stands to gain confidentiality of contents, authentication of origin, data integrity, and awareness of the sender. 

Encryption is an effective way to secure data, but the cryptographic keys must be carefully managed to ensure data remains protected, yet accessible when needed. While IoT devices often are not targets themselves, without built-in security, they serve as attractive conduits for the distribution of malware that could result in a data breach. 

Data encryption is not a substitute for other information protection controls, such as physical access, authentication and authorization, or network access controls.  Data encryption is a method to reduce risk as is the practice of using secure communications protocols and channels for sensitive data.

Although IoT devices are easy to deploy, their communication protocols must have the processing power, range, and reliability to run on existing internet infrastructure as called out in the criteria for IoT implementation (Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, etc.).

It is important to consider power consumption when designing an IoT network. Low power wireless networks are best. For this reason, communication protocols created for IoT application requirements generally fall into two groups: 

• Low Power Wide Area Networking (LPWAN) 

• Wireless Personal Area Networking (WPAN)

Like other digital devices, IoT devices must be patched and updated to prevent threats from taking advantage of vulnerabilities in software and firmware. Installing updates and patching vulnerabilities is essential to IoT security as well as operational technology (OT). When devices cannot be patched or taken offline to prevent exploitation, administrators can deploy intrusion prevention systems (IPS).

Managing IoT security on your network could be overwhelming without the help of IoT detection services and tools that discover IoT devices, block malicious traffic, and enable virtual patching. Detection is based on a local (installed) library of IoT devices that is regularly expanded and updated for the latest threats and vulnerabilities. Along with an IPS and network access control, detection services are integral to an IT security strategy for effective risk management.

Cyber attacks are used to exploit unprotected IoT devices with tactics such as network scanning, remote code execution, and command injection. The healthcare industry has the highest share of IoT security issues from internet connected devices used for medical imaging systems, patient monitoring systems, and medical device gateways. Another high-risk sector includes commonly used IoT devices such as security cameras and printers. Consumer electronics, IP phones, and energy management devices are also at higher risk.

Many industries have adopted IoT at the risk of higher exposure to cyber threats from vulnerabilities in IoT devices. Some industries are more vulnerable than others due to the sensitive nature of their data (e.g., medical records, autonomous vehicles, or intellectual property).

These include large organizations with complex networks, digital factories and plants that rely on industrial operational technology (OT), and healthcare organizations that use medical IoT for patient care such as networked scanners, monitoring tools, wearable devices, and other internet connected systems.

IoT devices are not built to meet the business and regulatory requirements of critical industries. If developers integrated security into IoT devices and software, it would go a long way to help protect sensitive data and prevent exploitation when those devices go online.

Learn more about IoT Device Vulnerability, IoT Security Best Practices, IoT Edge, and “What is the Internet of Things?”.