There are various reasons and needs why you want to protect your IoT solution. Whether it is preventing hackers from manipulating data or to protect your devices from being part of DDoS attacks, securing your solution is still essential.
Increase the security level of your solutions with these 5 tips:
1. Use communications that are secure
Most connected devices do not have the necessary resources to make them safe, which requires the communications solution to provide security for them. We recommend using a VPN. A VPN is functionally similar to a private network or leased line, even though the traffic flows over the Internet. However, everything is encrypted, which keeps the information confidential for outside inspection. On top of that, any tampering can be detected.
2. Choose a connectivity solution with security built-in from scratch
Building secure mobile networks requires knowledge and time. Complicated system solutions combined with lack of advanced IT competence can quickly create security problems. Security should therefore be built-in to the solution, and not be an afterthought. That way the users can administrate the solution without being concerned of missing important security settings.
3. Look for a solution that has a high level of automation
All people make around 5-10% errors during a normal working day. It may be something small, like a typo in an email. But it can also be something with bigger consequences, like allowing the wrong IP address through the firewall. By using a highly automated connectivity solution, 5-10% of your security issues can be reduced. Select a solution that automatically creates VPNs and secure connections for you.
4. Stay in control by keeping track of connections and user access
In order to avoid security leaks, it is important for the administrators to maintain an accurate overview over the solution. What devices are connected? Where does the information flow? What about the users? Neglected and overlooked connections and users can become a security problem. Make sure access rights are revoked for any staff that’s leaving, and give technical installers limited rights.
5. Make sure the default password in your devices have been replaced
The last step might seem obvious, but it surprisingly often overlooked. Change the standard password of all devices! Since IoT devices often have simple access control and plain passwords, they can easily be breached using various password guessing attacks. Replacing the default password in your devices is an easy, but important step to take. Make sure to use a mix of lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers, and special characters when doing so.
White paper: How to strengthen IoT security
What threats are involved with connecting devices to the Internet? And what are the vulnerabilities within the different communications technologies? Learn more about this and how to strengthen your IoT security in this white paper.