The Internet of Things (IoT): It’s referred to as such because of the increased level of connectivity between the Internet and objects (the things). An influx of technology and technological devices has made the IoT more popular, and everyone can benefit from it. Companies can benefit from this because they have plenty of assets to protect, and part of that protection might involve some factor of network use. The larger the business, the more likely this is. If a business uses many IoT devices, it’s important to understand as much as possible.
It is important to note the newness of devices in relation to security. Ever buy a device with a factory default password? Imagine having an entire network of security cameras that use this same password. Because it’s also connected to the Internet, anyone with knowledge of the default and some know how to access this network of cameras will have access to a peek through whichever connected camera they want.
This means a company needs to be aware of the devices it uses in infrastructure. We don’t just mean monitoring applications but anything a business utilizes to assure it’s functioning as intended. While some might consider passwords an afterthought, something so small can lead to problematic intrusions in other areas. A business must have a strong grip on its network security if it plans to manage devices that rely on the network or risk leaking information to unwanted parties.
Caution is also something that should be stressed. As a cutting edge company, you’ve likely heard/seen things about cloud computing and likely use it too. Because of the connections between hardware, services, and other factors, security doesn’t function the same way anymore. Devices used today are smarter, and the data that gets passed between platforms is more adaptive. Therefore, the measures of old data protection and network security may not work. If your company plans to have a greater reliance on network devices, it’s important to be cautious.
Because of its young nature in that this technology has grown thanks to how “smart” the “things” are, it’s an area which must be scrutinized constantly. As a business, the biggest thing to know is that data is harder to protect because of how much connection there is and that security will be important every step of the way. No matter the device, always be prepared.
