Safe and secure

From doorbells and fish tanks to nuclear reactors: Why focus on IoT security?

- GREG DAY, VP AND CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER, EMEA, PALO ALTO NETWORKS

As the world grows ever more connected, all our devices are becoming linked together. The activity tracker on my wrist wirelessly uploads data to my smartphone, which in turn controls entertainment hubs in the connected cars out on the drive. That same mobile device is the hub of most of my business connections – contacts, email, video conferencing – you name it. Doorbells, thermostats and even fridges are joining the connected world, exchanging data and instructions with smartphones and other devices.

This network – the Internet of Things – is set to grow massively as microchips are embedded into billions of previously “dumb” objects. From rubbish bins to robots, washing machines to production lines, a wide variety of objects and devices will share data through an internet connection.

The arrival of 5G is spurring better connectivity than traditional fixed networks while at the same time empowering huge volumes of connected devices, allowing wireless connectivity on a massive scale. But having so many devices and objects wirelessly networked creates huge security risks, since any network is only as secure as its weakest link.

In the connected world, a $1 sensor can be connected to a billion-dollar network. Cheap microchips are placed on objects to act as sensors measuring data such as heat and wear and tear. The sensors are small, light and inexpensive. But they typically lack any type of security system.

In one famous hack, attackers entered a casino’s digital network by gaining access to the personal data of high rolling clients via a thermal sensor in the fish tank in the lobby. The attack was uncovered by cybersecurity experts but only after data had been exfiltrated. This shows that unguarded Internet of Things sensors create a world of dangers, opening up ever more entry points through which attackers can break into networks.

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