IT Trend 2020: IoT Device Security is Tying Up IT Resources

Companies are increasing their use of IoT devices within their businesses and they need to know about the security risks these devices can pose. Many IoT device manufacturers are not focused on your IT security and the devices they produce can have vulnerabilities that make them easy targets for hackers. For example, the devices might ship with simple default passwords or the manufacturers might issue firmware updates that are easy to spoof.

Gartner predicts that there could be more than 20 times as many smart devices at the edge of the network than in conventional IT roles by 2023. This proliferation of IoT devices means companies will have more devices they need to protect, and technical teams may well find themselves playing ‘find-the-unsecured-devices’ as a regular responsibility.

If these IoT devices are not secured, they can put a company at risk, especially when they are connected to the network hosting the business’s critical data and applications.

A good place to start with IoT security is to:

• Change each IoT device’s default password to a unique, strong one. You can download our 10 Rules for Strong Passwords as a resource.
• Disable any unused features in the IoT devices. This closes any possible extraneous pathways into your network.
• Place IoT devices behind firewalls so that they are not directly connected to the Internet.
• Isolate IoT devices from your business network. Separating the devices from critical business data and applications provides added protection.
• Install patches or upgrades when provided by the device manufacturer.
• Include IoT devices in IT policies.

PC Corp can help you get started to track your IT hardware devices and assist in developing a comprehensive strategy to protect them. Our IT Projects and IT Managed Services teams are available to help you strengthen your business security. Send us a question at info@pccorp.com. We make it easy.