How an SDSN controlled vision can lead IoT to secure future
SDSN platforms can enable network operators and service vendors to manage their security mechanisms as a unified threat detection system. It places the network at the center of a massive security infrastructure, which provides simplicity and flexibility t
The Internet of Things (IoT) has been the talk of the technology world for a few years now. It has generated plenty of innovation and attention, but its rate of mass adoption has perhaps not been as widespread as many expected. While the vision of IoT remains the same, either the market or the infrastructure is not yet ready to enable its massive adoption.
Nonetheless, home owners and enterprises who do not adopt IoT soon will fall behind the curve when it does catch on. Despite this so- called ‘ slow adoption’, 30.7 billion IoT devices are expected to be connected by 2020 ( there were 15.4 billion in 2015).
An IoT future where AI assistants can simply be attached to any object and connect it to the IoT is not far away. On a much larger scale, IoT can also enable governance of massive transportation and manufacturing ecosystems that are designed for the 21st century. Industry 4.0 and factories of the future are already here, and they run on IoT. Managing industrial and consumer IoT though, is easier said than done, and requires tremendous investment behind the scenes.
Additionally, IoT is also preparing the world for a future of ‘Digital Cohesion’ where automated mega-services adapt to individual user behavior and enrich personal
and business lives. In this future, businesses get increased productivity, budget efficiency, workforce management models and business service innovations. Consumers get better community infrastructure, efficient use of personal time, improved education and learning capabilities and lower living costs.
SECURING IOT IS THE MOST CRITICAL CHALLENGE
With billions of connected devices working simultaneously on the IoT, collaboration and synchronization between varied network elements is crucial. Some of the key challenges that plague IoT adoption are: Too much data to analyze Difficult to capture useful data Analysis tools aren’t flexible or advanced enough Vendors don’t know what questions to ask Data analysis is too slow to have actionable outcomes However, most service vendors still overlook gaping security holes that leave them vulnerable. Since the very nature of IoT is highly network dependent, its implementation opens a whole new attack vector that needs to be protected. Cybercrime is a large-scale organized business that fetches attackers more than $2 trillion a year, which is more than the GDP of countries such as Russia, Australia or Switzerland. Thus, network security is very important since a network is only as secure as its weakest link.\
Unfortunately, IoT creates several weak links that can be exploited. Network operators are thus forced to deal with complicated infrastructure with an agility that keeps up with attackers from around the world. It is simply unfeasible to manually manage security policy changes or upgrades in such a volatile and vulnerable environment.
SDSN THE ANSWER TO MULTIPLE IOT CHALLENGES
This situation demands an approach that not only simplifies existing security stacks, but also grants network operators a platform that works on automation, machine learning and IoT-enabled intelligence. The solution here is a unified cybersecurity platform that is powered by a Software-Defined Secure Network (SDSN).
SDSN platforms can enable network operators and service vendors to manage their security mechanisms as a unified threat detection system. It places the network at the center of a massive security infrastructure, which provides simplicity and flexibility to secure millions of IoTenabled devices across geographies.
It is not far-fetched to imagine that SDSN can provide the much-needed boost that drives IoT adoption. By seamlessly managing the substantial number of IoT devices and the data generated by them, and by removing the possibility of security breaches driven by inadequate manual traffic hair-pinning, SDSN can offer safe passage into the age of automation. It can make a massive difference by functioning behind the scenes and efficiently conducting compute and network functions for IoT devices.
By deploying SDSN solutions, manufacturers can build security infrastructure that is simple to manage, and which offers transparent threat visibility. This infrastructure can provide advanced threat intelligence, create a synergistic approach that centralizes a multi-vendor ecosystem, and enable IoT businesses to secure their networks as they undergo massive transformation.
CONCLUSION
A connected future that is fueled by IoT offers great promise and opportunity for everyone. Unfortunately, as more devices get connected to people and to each other, the more lucrative it becomes for attackers to infiltrate lives. More IoT devices simply open the potential of more attacks. As malicious attacks become more advanced and frequent than ever before, SDSN can offer a solution that guarantees security in the IoT era.