If we talk about the global Internet of things, then the market worth was about $190 billion in 2018, and it’s expected to grow by $1.11 trillion by 2026. While the study shows, in 2020, there will be 10 billion actively IoT units, and it is expected to rise to 21.5 billion in 2025. We can call this evidence that the IoT market is growing faster. The technology mainly emphasizes the importance of reliable security measures for various devices. Let’s understand this technology.

Understand IoT(Internet Of Things) Trends 2019 That Will Keep IT Leaders Busy

What are IoT devices?

IoT is a diversity of devices and makes the IoT scope broad and challenging. The main characteristic of IoT is it connects to the Internet and interacts with the environment through data exchange and collection. As we know, devices with limited computing capacity add specific functions.

We find countless ways to use this application and apply it to a different environment. Users who want to make smart homes can use IoT devices and update the home security system. The devices, for example, smart speakers, smart TV, and other connected game consoles. Add smartwatches, smart reading devices, and other homes/offices connected through a network.

There are countless IoT devices one can choose from, but one thing that concerns most is the IoT security and internet connection. There are a lot of industrial places that lack standardization, giving rise to compatibility issues and security matters. The portability of devices presents a greater possibility of threats poisoning more than one network.

Check The Ultimate IoT Guide for Beginners

How drone technology extends the reach of mobile IoT?

The global research for a drone is expected to hit nearly 5 billion by the end of this year. With leveraging the ongoing IoT revolution, the drone experience accelerated transformation from simple to complex IoT devices. Additionally, 5G technology expects to enhance the drone’s ability to real-time, enabling instant feedback. Drones help to increase productivity while reducing costs and workloads. Drones are used in various applications in sectors like:

• Agriculture:

It’s expected that the global population will hit 10 billion marks by 2050. It adds an innovative population with more progressive agriculture practices. Drones using excellent IoT tech enable the application of precision agriculture techniques by farmers. Using this, one can carry on optimal productivity conditions and intervention with increased yields.

• Industries:

Maintenance and inspection nowadays in industries are facing a lot of challenges. However, sections like mines, boilers, power grids, and tunnels are hard to access but with smart drones, one can maintain each section with ease. The intelligent drone will use wind turbine inspection in the future with reduced human-machine intervention resulting in less cost and safety hazards. 

• Revolutionising delivery:

The time is here when drones are expected to deliver goods and services, saving a lot of time. It reduces the challenges associated with providing relief and medical supplies in an emergency or any disaster situation. It can supply packages to various parts of remote locations. 

• Construction:

Now, people are using drones in construction to reduce the time and effort used in making a regular visit by inspecting it from roofs, mining operations, and other utilities to enhance the use of drones. This reduces accidents and increases safety in the construction site.

IoT security challenges

1) Brute forcing and the default password issue

One of the largest examples of the issues with shipping devices is using the default password and not telling the consumer to change once they receive them. Also, some government reports advise manufacturers selling Internet of things devices as they come with poor security credentials. Currently, there are no such guidelines nor any legal repercussions to abandon these practices.

The weak password is vulnerable to hacking, and brute-forcing is most common. Therefore, a company should use their default password as it would end up risking their business.

2) Insufficient testing and updating

Today, we find nearly 23 billion IoT-connected devices that use the massive wave of new gadgets without any cost. The companies are developing these devices that are too careless to handle and come with security risks. Additionally, the devices and IoT products do not get enough updates, while few get critical security updates. The early computer was facing the same problem when somewhat solved with automatic updates. However, Internet of things manufacturers is more eager to produce and deliver the devices faster and without giving security a second thought. This leaves customers’ trust and exposed to potential attacks.  

3) Poor IoT device management

IoT devices are used in various industries like medical, manufacturing, retail, and other life science. It reveals a good number of vulnerabilities with a set of devices and other connected objects. It mainly uses controls like computed machines and magnetic imaging devices responsible for poor security problems. The traditional connected devices add legal systems and features that are prone to attacks are:

• Financial loss
• Operations Disruptions
• Reputational Damage
• Compromised customer safety and data

4) The gap in IoT skills

We find several companies that claim to offer a wide gap in the skill of IoT security professionals. This particular gap prevents companies from utilizing the full potential of an employee.

5) IoT malware

As we know, the number of IoT-connected devices continues to rise year after year, and it adds several malware and ransomware that are used to exploit it. The malware mainly relies on encryption where users use different devices and platforms along with ongoing hybridization. It aims to merge the different attack types. It potentially focuses on limiting the disabling of the device function and stealing user data at one time. As the number of IoT devices increases, it gives birth to unpredictability regarding an unauthorized future theft. Make sure you get an effective solution for IoT malware and ransomware.

6) Data security and privacy concerns

If we talk about data security and privacy concerns, it’s one of the largest problems the most interconnected world faces. The data is being harnessed, stored, transmitted, and processed by large companies that use a vast array of IoT devices. The devices include a smart speaker, smart TV, smart lighting, connected printer, intelligent thermostats, and HVAC systems. Additionally, the user data shared between companies violates the right to privacy and data security. How can we overcome this problem? Kindly check for the solution below.

7) IoT botnets with the rise of cryptocurrency

It is one of the biggest challenges that heated the mining competition. It is coupled with the recent rise of cryptocurrency and its valuation that proves enticing for hackers trying to cash in on the crypto craze. The main vulnerability of the blockchain itself comes with the blockchain app development that runs over it. Additionally, social engineering can be used to extract usernames, private keys, and passwords that come with future blockchain-based apps.

Also, the open-source cryptocurrency comes with one of the digital currencies that are mined with IoT devices. The hackers repurposed video cameras and IP to mine crypto. Along with IoT botnet miners, blockchain breaches and other data integrity manipulation helps flood the open crypto market with volatile values.

8) Insufficient data protection

Proper data protection is one of the critical IoT security concerns with hazardous communication and data storage. Additionally, IoT security is one of the significant vulnerabilities that compromise devices and access confidential data. But, in the end, the secure data storage and other network segregation are never clear to date.

9) Security problems in device update management

The software or firmware comes with the greatest sources that affect the security of software. Here the manufacturers offer the latest product updates with the devices they sell. There are a lot of changes that come with security breaches and may occur with a lot of updates. Solutions to this are given below.

10) Insecure interface

An IoT device needs services, apps, and protocols for communications. But there are several patches of the insecure interface that lack insufficient device authentication, no encryption, and other weak encryption, which are the main common interface issues.

11) AI and automation

Various enterprises eventually need to deal with hundreds of IoT devices. As we know the user data is quite challenging to manage and collect based on a networking perspective. The AI tools and automation offer a massive amount of data that help IoT administrators enforce data-specific rules and detect anomalous data. However, it comes with a few IoT security challenges that one needs to build based on IoT.  

IoT system security issues and solution approaches 

Solution: brute forcing and the default password issue

It is highly advisable to make route users inaccessible by using various security features to prevent brute attacks. Also, avoid weak passwords and use strong captcha or strong passwords. Set the login limit for any specific IP address and create unique URLs as part of the security strategy.

Solution: gap in IoT skills

Training and skill up-gradation program comes with great insightful workshops, bulletins, and hands-on newsletters with making tremendous differences. Also, the team members can prepare the usage of IoT security by offering an excellent IoT security solution.

Solution: insufficient testing and updating

It protects the customer against such an attack that the device needs to be adequately launched and tested before going public. Here the companies need to update it regularly, and both customers and companies take a single large-scale breach in consumer data that completely ruin the company.

Solution: poor IoT device management

Implemented IoT solutions can only reduce the IoT security threat. They respond to an end-to-end solution that needs fundamental device security challenges tackled with device managing. Also, the platform comes with improved asset provisioning that can decrease security vulnerability and report specific metrics that connect with IoT assets.

Solution: data security and privacy concerns

To resolve this, we need to set dedicated compliance with privacy rules and anonymize the sensitive data for storing and disassociating IoT data payloads. It gives information related to personally identified data that no longer need data and should be disposed of securely. The data stored in it is the largest challenge that compliance along with various legal and regulatory structures. Additionally, the practice employs web, mobile, and cloud applications that can be used to access and process data associated with IoT devices.

Whereas the secure development of the mobile app and web-based IoT application is quite difficult for small companies to get limited budget and manpower. The manufacturer tends to focus solely on using the app and market it fast to attract more funding and grow its user base. It comes with a higher risk that can ruin your brand; therefore, you need to consider the security requirement with multi-layered data management.

Solution: IoT bots with the rise of cryptocurrency

The structure, IoT application, and other platforms mainly rely on blockchain technology that needs regulated and continuous monitoring. The use of this technology helps to prevent any future cryptocurrency with great exploits.

Solution: security problem in managing devices

When we talk about the automatic software update, the device sends it back to the cloud. The device helps the one who suffers a shorter downtime. Also, if the connection is encrypted or the files are left insecure, there may be a strong possibility that the hacker may steal the sensitive information. Therefore, one needs to take better care of the data.

Solution: insufficient data protection

Data protection is one of the significant challenges that one needs to harness the potential of cryptography. One needs to encrypt sensitive data and prevent unofficial access or data thefts. Moreover, data decryption can help safeguard the confidentiality and other data privacy.

Solution: insecure interface

Users can use device authentication to prevent unauthorized access to a connected device where data is generated to only authorized people. One can take help from the digital certificate expert team or hire a digital expertise company that can guide you by enabling the entity to transfer data securely by implementing best practices and strict standards from the best authentic sources.

AI and automation

There is a system that makes autonomous decisions across various industries like medical, health care power, transportation, and diverse other single extensive infrastructure. One can consider building an app that keeps IoT secure against different attacks and keeps data secure against theft.

The solution:

The challenge can be resolved using a strict legal and regulatory framework that aims to manufacture prominent working constrictions and fines for people who won’t follow the frameworks.

Conclusion:

Along with practicing these security issues, users need to be aware of new developments in the technology. IoT security has given heavier consideration in recent times. With time, IoT devices implement best practice security measures like encryption. To make it difficult for hackers, ensure devices are physically secure. Finally, one needs to focus on this problem and improve the security state of IoT devices.

Minimize the lousy security measure by:

• Avoiding Plug and Play Features
• Keep IoT network separate
• Keep IoT devices password simple, unique, and complex
• Minimize use of cloud storage