IoT and allied enabling software has taken the world by storm. People have started finding IoT much a part of their daily lives today. From smart TVs, smart watches, smart bulbs and home appliances to fire alarms, medical equipment and traffic control systems – there is a lot of IoT driven devices all around us. With convenience and ergonomics come bigger vulnerabilities too in the IoT networks. Talk of the town takes a quick look at some of the security threats associated with the latest fad in the automated tech world.
Vulnerability of default passwords
Weak authentication credentials is one of the major challenges faced by systems running on IoT today. Studies find that about 70% of these devices around the world use the default, factory assigned user names and passwords. This opens up a major loophole in IoT security.
Malware and ransom ware
Malware and ransomeware attacks on IoT devices has seen a huge surge during the Covid19 pandemic. This report by Zscaler records a whopping 700% surge in malware attacks targeting 553 types of devices during this period. Malware and ransomware has always targeted the IoT devices as they had been the weak links in the network, focusing more on user interface rather than on edge security.
Security vulnerabilities upon updating
With a long lifespan ranging between 15 to 20 years, IoT devices often calls for security and system updates. These updates are necessary to keep the device up to date and to keep the new bugs at bay. But these internet updates, often done without shutting the device down, expose them to interception by hackers and malware attacks.
Interfacing loopholes
IoT devices often have limited interface capabilities to connect with security applications. In the mad rush to produce user-friendly IoT devices and gadgets, functionality becomes the key, pushing interface security to the back seat. When these devices are introduced into a network, the interface becomes vulnerable that posing considerable risks to the entire network.
Technology has made life a lot easier. But this dependence has made us all a lot more vulnerable to attacks too if the devices are not properly secured.
What are your thoughts on these cyber threats? Connect with us through our contact us page here and let us know.