Ring-fencing IoT from outside threats
Special to Gulf News
The Internet of Things (IoT) has been a topic of discussion for years. There are already tens of thousands of ingenious IoT applications and projects around the world, and the Middle East and Africa IoT market is set to reach $6.99 billion (Dh25.67 billion) in 2018 and almost double to $12.62 billion by 2021, according to latest forecasts from International Data Corporation.
Multiple factors are converging that suggest we are about to see real gains with IoT. Health care, smart buildings and cities, manufacturing, transport and automotive are all seeing initial deployments move well beyond proof-of-concept. Future-oriented firms are already using it to deepen their understanding of their own businesses, inform their strategies and create more value for their customers.
There are three main aspects that still need to be resolved in order for it to reach its full potential. These are connectivity, interoperable standards and security.
Etisalat recently launched the first commercial 5G wireless network to fuel digital transformation and IoT, while du also plans to roll out a 5G service later this year to further strengthen IoT services in the region.
Low-power technologies are developing at a high pace, making it possible for a multitude of devices and sensors to speak to each other over incredible distances. And these devices need very little human interaction once embedded, thanks to extended lifecycles and remote maintenance. This all brings incredible potential for the IoT ecosystem. Though there are still too many IoT standards, manufacturers and providers are getting better at building interoperable systems. The final crucial factor is security.
We have lived through two decades of internet attacks and the past few years have seen a huge increase in data breaches, as hackers continue to get more sophisticated. With the IoT still a new concept to many, we now have a chance to protect ourselves from suffering the same large-scale data breaches that cripple companies.
Not taking digital security seriously can prove to be much more costly. Companies face threats like device cloning, device repurpose, data manipulation or unauthorised service access. Each of these can lead to pure revenue or customer loss, ransomware incidents and brand reputation damage.
The first step towards building a more secure IoT is for companies to get a sense of their own risk profile.
From here they can think about:
* Introducing network segmentation — Not all IoT solutions need to be connected to the internet. In a hospital, a doctor could get real-time information from connected machines that aren’t vulnerable to hackers.
* Security by design — Product designers need to develop products that are secure from conception, and able to evolve to face emerging new threats.
* Replacing legacy products — Some devices are simply too old to be able to be managed adequately. In this case, you should likely invest in new equipment, even if there are cost implications.
* Understanding their inventory — If a new threat is detected, can you be sure which of your products are affected?
Success in IoT relies on trust — the ability to trust in reliable and untampered connected devices, as well as data integrity. Security must be at the core of present and future applications.
Companies must view security as an ongoing matter in a product or service’s life cycle, rather than a one-off step.
■ Sherry Zameer is regional senior vice-president for IO at Gemalto.