IoT devices add a whole new dimension to interconnectivity that we’ve become so used to thanks to the internet. They make it so much easier to keep track of vehicles, monitor manufacturing processes, and automating HVAC equipment in homes and offices.
There is, however, a tiny problem of the inherent security risk associated with IoT devices once they start processing sensitive information in our homes, public spaces, and workplaces. This is why it’s vital to implement security best practices at every stage when developing an IoT solution.
In the context of businesses, if IoT devices monitor physical processes involved in manufacturing and assembly, failure to properly secure IoT devices can result in lost revenue. An element of danger becomes associated with these devices when they are involved in human safety. There is no room for error here and getting hacked could easily cause life-threatening consequences for the employees. It can cause a potential PR nightmare for the company in question.
Worse still is the fact that most of these attacks go unnoticed due to their nature. Most attacks are not immediate because crypto crooks don’t immediately harm software and hardware of targeted systems. But once the damage is detected and disclosed to the public at large, the company loses the trust it had worked so hard to build over the years.
In most cases, a crypto crook would covertly gain access to a device, extract sensitive information or patch it with malicious software. All this can be done without ever getting detected, and no one will become none-the-wiser because IoT data is relatively unpredictable.
One way to counter against covert hacking attempts is to run data analysis to monitor each device. This data should be compared with baseline data for each device to see if it is reporting as expected. If it is indicating more frequently or less frequently than before, it could be an indication of the device being hacked into.
Finding appropriate boundaries on your data can be a little difficult and requires appropriate solutions based on the exact parameters of the device. It means knowing what type of message the device should understand and to filter certain types of data before they can be written to storage.
How the Tantv4 ThingaOS Platform Solves the Security Challenge
Tantiv4 has developed ThingaOS platform which is based on modern protocols and standards to implement security mechanisms around IoT devices, making them an impenetrable fortress. To address IoT challenges, CloudOS uses OTA (over-the-air) software upgrades that are highly scalable.
Assigned users and groups are conveniently given control of devices to improve device management, making room for seamless configurative changes with the push of a button. All communication between the user and the device takes place over secure SSL and DTLS protocols, these make it impossible for coordinated attacks on IoT devices. Best of all, Tantiv4’s optimized solution works with all major cloud platforms, including Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services.