Is the Internet of Things a Doorway into your business?
The Internet of Things presents many opportunities for businesses of all sizes in terms of productivity, profitability, and development. Alongside the advantages are some risks that every business should consider and act upon. Most businesses consider a level of cybersecurity, but have you thought about how you can secure devices and Internet of Things software? You’ve installed anti-virus software, defend against malware attacks, have security measures in place like 2FA, cycle your passwords regularly, and so on. But have you considered what other means there might be for threat actors to access your systems? Those are the people who will make cyberattacks against your business. And here’s the thing. They only have to get lucky once. They try, try, try again to get into your business through a variety of means. Some of these hackers will have preferred methods, some will have a clear MO.
What is the Internet of Things?
Put simply, it falls into two categories. Firstly, software that shares data with other software and devices. And there’s a lot of it. In general terms, it manages data, processes, projects, and people. It sits in the cloud and accesses various systems in your business. Secondly, devices. These are non-standard computing devices that can connect wirelessly to your network and transmit and receive data.
Here are a few examples of devices in the Internet of Things:
- Smart Mobiles
- Smart refrigerators
- Smartwatches
- Smart fire alarms
- Smart door locks
- Smart bicycles
- Medical sensors
- Fitness trackers
- Smart security system
Are you cycling your passwords? Are your employees and anyone else with access to your systems doing the same? Your policy should be clear about what you expect, frequency, and how you audit that. And proper training is crucial. But that may not be enough to deny a hacker access through your Internet of Things (IoT) devices and software. How secure is your fire alarm, for example, if it’s connected to the internet. And do your staff need to have their fitness watches or phones connected? The more doorways you have, the more likely it is that someone can break into your business systems. To use an analogy, no matter how much you try and keep your pet dog out of the living room and off the sofa, you’ll always fail in the end. The dog will keep on trying until he’s successful. Fido only needs to get lucky once. Threat actors behave in exactly the same way. They’ll keep on trying, maybe lose interest for a while as they seek out easier prey, and come back and try again. So your unending task is to make sure that they can’t get into your systems, and that means embedding an effective strategy that’s implemented across your business. And that’s where we come in!
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