Gartner estimates that by 2021, there will be 25 billion devices connected to the Internet. Even today, the number of devices that support the Internet is almost twice that of the world's population. The Internet of things has enriched our lives, increased convenience and efficiency, but from an organizational point of view, it has become difficult to manage. Not only that, all kinds of equipment are too busy.
Many IOT devices lack security, have default passwords that are easy to "guess" and require a certain degree of technical expertise before they can be plugged into the network. How can companies ensure that this is addressed, especially when many IOT devices are installed by third parties, such as contractors?
Bring internet of things equipment
Just as the "own device" challenges it departments, so does the Internet of things. When you walk into almost any office, you will see a lot of Internet of things devices that may not be managed by IT departments, such as wireless music speakers, smart assistants and iPad enabled coffee makers. As a result, these devices should be placed in the same high-risk category as laptops and mobile devices.
Internet of things security debate is growing
The launch of 5g has intensified the debate, and 5g is seen as a key driver for the next generation of IOT devices. Huawei, the manufacturer, has been "banned" from the networks of operators in some countries with ulterior motives, such as the United States and Australia, for fear of state involvement and for fear that data might eventually fall into the hands of foreign forces (nonsense). However, considering that Microsoft recently claimed to observe a hacker organization funded by a certain country called "family bear" actively attacking companies through devices such as Internet phones, office printers and video decoders, the concern about the government's participation in the Internet of things is not groundless.
Therefore, no matter in the device or network level, the security problem is very important. How can we solve this problem?
Manage IOT devices at the network level
Protection of IOT devices can only be done at the network level. Although it is necessary to configure each endpoint to be as secure as possible, it is unrealistic to assume that this is feasible or that there are no weak links in the chain that cannot be utilized. Instead, the focus should be on monitoring network traffic to ensure that traffic reaches its intended destination so that intrusion can be detected quickly. Most Internet of things devices are predictable in their daily functions and behaviors. For example, echo devices usually only exchange data with Amazon servers. This consistency makes it easier to detect behavioral changes that can be flagged as potential problems.
Companies should display all the data of Internet of things devices in one place (management console). At the network layer, this means that all Internet of things traffic is directed to the cloud through secure "channels" that are completely independent of the network that hosts them. Whether 5g, 4G or fixed broadband, the traffic is safely routed to the cloud security gateway, so that the destination can be regarded as security, the content can be checked to see whether it contains malicious data, and the behavior and abnormal level can be monitored.
By managing traffic in this way, Internet of things traffic can be limited to authorized destinations, and the risk of security threats to these destinations can be safely reduced. Most attackers will try to redirect network traffic to phishing sites, but they can enforce the policy of restricting network traffic to trusted sites or IP addresses, thus providing the necessary security layer for the fight against cybercriminals and state actors.
Another way companies can check whether devices send traffic to known bad destinations is through a "list" system organized by security industry professionals and suppliers, including the compromise indicator IOC. These methods can be further supplemented by the use of artificial intelligence, and over time, artificial intelligence can conduct a more in-depth analysis of the "behavior" of Internet of things devices, so as to be able to quickly identify and repair anomalies. This approach almost means that no matter what the next generation of Internet of things will bring, organizations can safely expand as needed.
