The recent Mirai botnet attacks that exploited over 100,000 IoT devices, including cameras and DVRs, to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks are just one example of how hackers can leverage the growing number of connected devices for malicious purposes. The global Internet of Things market is expected to reach $1.11 trillion by 2026. The number of actively connected Internet of Things units could reach 21.5 billion in 2025.
In addition, as more companies connect their business systems to the Internet—including those containing sensitive information—they also become vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
Hackers will take advantage of security holes within these applications or attack with ransomware. To learn how to protect your local organization from a list of proliferating threats, please contact Managed IT Security Los Angeles.
Lack of Updates
The IoT has had many security issues over the years, but one of its biggest problems is a lack of testing and updates. Some of these devices have been tested for decades, but with new software updates, they can become vulnerable to attack.
A major issue with IoT devices is that they’re not updated regularly. This means that even if you buy a new device from a reputable company, it may still be vulnerable to attack because it hasn’t been updated in years.
To make matters worse, most people don’t even know how important it is to keep their IoT devices up-to-date by regularly updating them with new software versions or patches (like antivirus programs).
Remote Smart Vehicle Access
There are numerous ways that hackers can remotely access a vehicle, as well as the connected devices within it. Here are some of the more popular methods:
- Remote Smart Vehicle Access: The ability to remotely control your vehicle is a very useful feature for many drivers, but it also makes your car vulnerable to hackers. They can track your location and even control its movements from afar, which means they could steal your car or cause physical harm to you or others nearby if they wish.
- Bluetooth Hacking (BlueJacking). Bluetooth technology allows two devices—such as smartphones or laptops—to connect with one another over short distances without requiring an internet connection or Wi-Fi signal. This makes it possible for someone on foot or in another car to use their phone as a means of tapping into this type of communication through hacking software called “BlueJacker” so they can send messages directly into someone else’s phone without their permission.
3 Ways to Solve IoT Vulnerabilities
Effective Password Management
Passwords are the most common way to protect your devices and should be used for all of your IoT devices. Passwords should be at least eight characters long, with a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters. The longer the password is, the harder it is to crack.
Passwords should be changed regularly—at least every six months—and should never be shared between devices or accounts. You should also change your passwords if you suspect that one or more of your devices have been compromised by malware or some other kind of software that could allow unauthorized access to them (see the section on “Preventing Malware”).
You may find it useful to record all of your passwords in one place so that they’re easy to access when needed: either writing them down on a piece of paper stored somewhere safe (such as in a locked drawer), or using an online password manager such as LastPass or Dashlane.
Don’t Rely Entirely On Cloud
Cloud technology is not a panacea. While it may seem more convenient and cost-effective to store your data on the cloud, it’s important to remember that this type of storage is not 100% secure.
There have been several high-profile hacks of some of the top cloud providers, including Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform. In fact, many experts agree that these types of attacks will only continue to occur in 2022 and beyond.
Turn Off Universal Plug & Play Features
In order to improve the security of your IoT devices, you should avoid using Universal Plug & Play (UPnP) features. UPnP is a feature that allows a device to be added to a network without any security or authentication measures. These devices are also referred to as “broadcast-enabled” devices because they have the ability to broadcast data across networks without any restrictions.
While this may seem like an excellent idea because it makes it easier than ever for users to access their home networks and computers from anywhere in the world, it comes with one major drawback. Hackers can easily gain access if they know how these tools work. This is why disabling UPnP on your router is an essential step when securing your home network against malware attacks – especially if you have several IoT devices connected at once.
With the addition of each new device, your organization exposes itself to additional security risks. The more valuable your business assets are and the more important it is for you to protect them, the greater this vulnerability will be.
IoT security will become a top priority for all organizations looking to protect their most valuable business assets. For information on how to secure your cloud assets, please reach out to Managed IT Security.