IoT devices will be subject to the most cyber-attacks in 2017

CSO Online, an online community that offers data protection advice, has highlighted that smart gadget devices – like the Apple Watch, or smart boiler controls – will be the next in line in for big cyber-attacks.

As the world continues to develop technological crazes, the cybersecurity to match technological development is questionable, and attention is turning on to the Internet of Things (IoT) devices. These devices have been praised by technology enthusiasts as it gives us greater control over door locks, lights, and appliances, as well as streamlining businesses and ultimately making the user’s life a lot easier.

At the same time, it’s drawn a lot of criticism because these devices could allow opportunities for hackers to attack.

According to CSO Online, there will be more than 500,000 IoT breaches this year. Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks have been on an upward trend through common household products like digital video recorder systems. The system allows video recording to be put in a digital format i.e. USB stick, disk drive, etc…

Risks that IoT devices present!

Many security experts are worried about this new risk that is quickly rising alongside the unprecedented growth in technological products.

Security expert Forrester highlights that devices and products are being presented on the market without good security plans, saying:

“…today, firms are developing IoT firmware with open sources components in a rush to market. Unfortunately, many are delivering these IoT solutions without good plans for updates, leaving them open to not only vulnerabilities but vulnerabilities security teams cannot remediate quickly.”

The need for top-notch security

This highlights the need for firmware developers to develop security that is adequate enough in the event of a vulnerability in the system. When a vulnerability has been detected, the risk of a hack is heightened.

The Business Insider Intelligence report notes that IoTs will be the largest device market in the world. They estimate that, by 2019, it will be more than double the size of the smartphone, PC, tablet, connected car, and the wearable market combined. With this in mind, security of such devices should match the growth of the devices themselves.

Given that there could be around 20 billion devices by 2020, IoT devices need to up their security game. Security teams must highlight how to secure these devices. It’s also the task of inventors to create devices with top cybersecurity in mind.

It’s thought that small-to-medium sized enterprises will suffer the most breaches that come from unsecure IoT devices.

If IoT devices aren’t secured…

Florin Lazurca, a senior technical of another security firm Citrix, believes that it will come to the point where everything will use technology to power / use, and if stringent security methods aren’t imposed, it’ll turn into a ransomware game.

Lazurca notes:

“…want to browse the internet? Pay the ransom. Want to use your baby monitor? Pay the ransom. Want to watch your smart TV? Pay the ransom.”

It’s estimated that cyber-criminals will go beyond the traditional DDoS attacks, and some may even extend the use of botnets to access devices. This highlights the importance of making sure IoT devices are up to speed with their security.

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