Security lies a major concern for IoT devices, which are being built in large numbers in the modern world. How about the usage of the devices? It is even much more. Here lies the need to maintain the security of those systems. Before getting to know the solutions for various security challenges, knowing them is essential, which is our today’s topic of discussion.
So, let’s get on to know the top security problems ranging from high severity to low.
- Incorrect access:
Any service should be accessed only by the owner and trusted people. Though this serves as a common notion, it is not exactly implemented as it should be.
IoT devices may find the local network reliable and may not be attentive to additional necessary authentication standards. In addition, there could be even more devices connected to the same network. Here lies the problem where you find everyone on the internet can access IoT devices’ functionality.
Usually, what happens is that the same model devices are set with default passwords. Also, their default settings are alike. This means that all those devices in the same series can be accessed.
Importantly, IoT devices have a single privilege level, which means that when the privilege level is attained, there is no additional access control. Consequently, more vulnerabilities result.
- Attack surface
As the number of connections increases, attackers have an excellent opportunity for vulnerabilities. Similarly, the attack instances can grow with the increase in services, and this can be technically termed as an attack surface. The major challenge lies in reducing the attack surface to create secured systems.
Sometimes, devices having open ports may run specific services, which may not be mandatory. Therefore, such services can lie hidden without exposure. For instance, services such as SSH, debug interface, and Telnet might be useful during deployment; however, they are not essential during production.
- Out of date software
As applications are designed, certain vulnerabilities creep in. These are taken as an advantage by the attackers to generate harm to the application’s users. The best way to keep the vulnerabilities away is to choose the latest version. Also, it must support updated functionality.
- Lack of encryption
When communications happen as plain text, higher chances lie for the data to be known by the middlemen easily. Any individual who finds a position on the network path can examine the network traffic and gain secure information, typically the login details. So, the solution lies in choosing an encrypted version instead of a plain version. For instance, HTTP refers to the plain version, while HTTPS refers to the encrypted version.
The man-in-the-middle attack secretly steals the data and even transforms it without the notice of the persons on either end. Measures have to be adopted to ensure data encryption is complete and rightly configured. Unless this is done, chances do exist for attackers to hack the data.
- Vulnerabilities
Foremostly, accepting the vulnerabilities of the software is the first step toward gaining IoT security. Bugs result in development. Such instances serve the attackers an opportunity to execute their code to gain sensible information.
- Distrusted execution environment
Most IoT devices execute specific software. This gives an opportunity for the attackers to install their software, which is likely to extract sensible information out of the systems.
How to restrict the attacker from performing such action? Usually, the code developed is signed with a cryptographic hash, and significantly, the vendor only has the solution to sign it. Accordingly, the device executes only for the software shared by the vendor. Hence, no scope lies for the attackers to introduce their software into the system.
Conclusion:
Eventually, what any business aims at is the security of its systems. Loss of any secured information not only damages the reputation of the organization but even consumes a lot of time to rebuild the system costing more revenue.
Holding such disadvantages, the immediate need lies in choosing a worthy source that can build secured systems. ONPASSIVE, an AI-driven organization, can maintain the security of the systems through O-Virtual ensuring secured access.
