THE FUTURE OF CYBER SECURITY: GUARDING THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT)

27 Oct THE FUTURE OF CYBER SECURITY: GUARDING THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT)

Posted at 09:50h in Uncategorized by

Like cyber security futurist keynote speakers often remind, the future of cyber securty lies in learning to protect a host of always-online connected technology solutions. To put things in perspective: Over 27.1 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices equipped with sensors that can collect, analyze, and share information will be connected online and capable of transmitting feedback by next year alone. But as much insight as these gadgets can provide into the changing shape of customer habits and emerging trends, it bears remembering, especially from the standpoint of cybersecurity. These devices – like any other systems connected to the online cloud and capable of sharing data – can also increase the threat of leaving private information exposed to public scrutiny and expose your business to additional types of cyberattack.  As IoT keynote speakers, we make a point to remind audiences regularly that you can safeguard devices and protect your organization from digital dangers more effectively by:

  • Changing the default user names and passwords that IoT devices ship with (which can often easily be found via online search) to custom names and passwords of your choosing. Be sure to pick a unique password for each device.
  • Housing IoT devices on slices of your network that are cordoned off and do not allow access to shared files or networked devices.
  • Updating the software on your IoT devices to reflect the latest firmware and security patches, which often change and evolve, to stay a step ahead of the latest technical glitches and online threats.
  • Monitoring all communications from IoT devices for signs of system irregularities or compromise, and staying attuned to uncommon behaviors or events.
  • Testing IoT devices extensively to reveal potential network vulnerabilities and close any loopholes before hackers can exploit them.

 

As you can see, you don’t have to be a cyber security or IoT keynote speaker to get a headstart on protecting your business from digital dangers, and a rising tide of cyberthreats (today’s fastest-growing form of criminal activity). You just have to apply a little bit more forethought and practical strategies. For more cybersecurity hints and tips, be sure to check back regularly.