10 Best Practices for Securing IoT Projects
About Jari Haiston
The Demand for Fortified IoT Security Standards
The future is paved with increased connectivity, but with increased connection comes increased potential of security breaches. A study conducted by the Clark School at the University of Maryland determined that, on average, a hacker attack occurs every 39 seconds. With over 14.4 billion active internet of things (IoT) devices worldwide, a security breach on one device can bring down an entire connected network.
According to Unit 42 IoT Threat Report, “98% of IoT device traffic is unencrypted and transmitted in the open over the internet.” As digital intelligence evolves through IoT devices, developers must meet the demand for enhanced IoT security standards. Microsoft’s paper, IoT Signals, defines 10 best practices for securing your IoT Project.
10 Tips for Enhancing Your IoT Network Security
- Design security measures assuming there will be breaches at every level of your IoT project.
- Analyze dataflows for anomalies and breaches.
- Define trust boundaries between compartments of IoT projects.
- Implement least privileged access for devices and cloud storage.
- Monitor common vulnerabilities and exposure points for third-party dependencies.
- Share information with other security organizations.
- Perform penetration testing (including Red Team exercises).
- Perform static analysis of code (including Coverity and other tools).
- Perform threat modeling.
- Perform fuzz testing.
Common Types of IoT Security and Privacy Issues
Developers should be prepared with the knowledge of common cybersecurity threats they may encounter in their IoT projects. Common security attacks for IoT devices and networks include:
- Radio frequency jamming
- Ransomeware
- Unauthorized access
- Data interception
- Physical attacks
- Brute force attacks
- Firmware exploits
- Distributed denial of service (DDoS)
- Man-in-the-middle attacks
Additionally, there are inherent privacy issues facing IoT devices based on the sheer amount of data they generate. 10,000 households can generate 150 million discrete data points every day. IoT devices also pose privacy concerns around:
- Eavesdropping
- Unwanted public profiles
Symmetry Electronics Experts Can Help Developers Mitigate IoT Security Concerns
As industry experts of IoT and industrial IoT (IIoT) devices, Symmetry Electronics is uniquely prepared to help developers the security of their connected designs. Our team of knowledgeable Applications Engineers is available to assist developers throughout their design cycle. Consultation is free and their technical support is unparalleled. If you’re interested in meeting the demand for fortified security for your IoT device design, contact Symmetry Electronics today!
