4 IoT Security Vulnerabilities You Need to Know About

Hacking, Internet of things, IOT, Network, Security, Security Threats, , , , ,
27
Feb 2018

The Internet of Things (IoT) is amazing, but it’s not perfect and, in particular, there are plenty of security vulnerabilities that you need to know about.

You can barely move without bumping into an IoT device now and, whilst this allows you to be more productive, it also means that the security risk to your organization’s network is increasing. We’ve all heard about how coffee machines can get hacked and it’s these types of stories that demonstrate the extent of IoT security concerns.

Whilst you may rely on a humble kettle rather than a fancy Wi-Fi controlled coffee machine, there are still plenty of IoT security vulnerabilities you need to be aware of. Let’s take a look at of the most important ones you should be aware of.

  1. Network Services Present a Back Door

IoT devices often come with diagnostic and debugging services built in to help facilitate troubleshooting tasks, but these are often operating on ports which are not secure. Now, maintenance services are probably one of the least likely to be secured pieces of code to be found on an IoT device, so this scenario is highly attractive to hackers. Therefore, you need to make sure that you investigate all potential security concerns on new IoT devices you install.

  1. Lack of Transport Encryption

When data is transported across the internet or your local network, it needs to be encrypted to thwart any external parties who are listening to your data traffic. However, many IoT devices fail to employ transport encryption in their data transmissions when sending data – this is estimated to be around 41% of all IoT devices. And this is why you need to make sure that your organization only works with highly secure IoT devices to protect data security.

  1. Weak Password Protection

The lack of strong password protection is a major security vulnerability when it comes to IoT devices. A good password should incorporate more than 8 characters and these should include numbers, symbols and mixed case letters – more often than not, though, these can often be nothing more than four digits such as an iPhone’s default password protection. And, as we all know, the weaker a password, the quicker and easier it can be hacked by brute force.

  1. Different Computer Languages Prevent Security

PCs all speak a common language, so getting a network full of PCs to operate on the same network in the same manner is not too big a problem. However, a smart photocopier running on a code all of its own is going to struggle to communicate effectively with the rest of your network. And this means that guaranteeing a secure connection between network devices is more difficult than ever. You also need to consider the fact that many IoT devices fail to receive regular updates, so this has the potential to be a long term security risk.

We’re all still learning about the security vulnerabilities that the IoT is bringing to the security table, so a firm knowledge of the potential pitfalls is vital. By taking note of the above you should be able to improve your security just enough to prevent being hacked.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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The 5 Most Important IoT Security Concerns Coming in 2018

Cyber Attack, Hacking, Internet of things, IOT, IoT Attacks, malware, Phishing, Ransomware, Security, Security Threats, , , ,
20
Feb 2018

If you want to keep the IoT (Internet of Things) secure in 2018 then you’re going to have your work cut out due to the number of threats on the horizon.

Significant progress has been made in the last couple of years when it comes to understanding the security concerns presented by IoT devices, but this is only encouraging hackers to become more innovative. And 2018 is going to deliver more IoT security threats than ever before, so you’re going to need to be ready for this surge in activity and the new hacking methods employed.

Let’s take a look at the most pressing IoT security concerns coming in 2018.

  1. IoT Attacks Being Undetectable

Many IoT attacks take place on a micro scale compared to large scale attacks such as Distributed Denial of Service Attacks. The problem with micro attacks is that conventional security systems are unlikely to recognize them as a threat, whereas major attacks are likely to ring alarm bells very quickly. Therefore, investing in highly sensitive security systems and manual monitoring may become vital to any organization using IoT devices.

  1. Automation Will Become More Important

Some organizations can have thousands of IoT devices operating on their network at any one time, so manually monitoring this activity is virtually impossible. And that’s why automation and artificial intelligence could prove highly popular in 2018 when it comes to providing a front line defence against IoT attacks e.g. installing crucial firmware upgrades immediately.

  1. The Irresistible Allure of Cryptocurrency

You only have to take a quick look at the financial headlines to understand just how valuable cryptocurrencies are at the moment. And, to a hacker, the financial rewards on offer are hard to resist. The Satori botnet, for example, takes control of IoT devices and also allows the hackers to exploit Bitcoin mining software. So, if your organization is involved with cryptocurrencies in any capacity, it’s going to pay to monitor your activity very closely.

  1. More and More Devices Will Be Targeted

Automobiles, security cameras and baby monitors are just a small selection of the IoT devices which have been hacked in the last couple of years, but this is set to increase further in 2018. In particular, devices which come with weak passwords (or even no password) are constantly being scouted by hackers. And, when they discover one, this can easily be leaked online, so the need to enforce a strong password culture remains essential.

  1. Privacy Concerns

Trusting IoT devices to transmit and receive personal and sensitive data is going to come under serious scrutiny in 2018. Due to the recent IoT attacks which have exploited weak passwords and poor security protocols in IoT devices, the public concern is growing over how their data is handled. Naturally, hackers are excited by the prospect of being given a free run at such a huge number of vulnerable devices without adequate security frameworks in place. 2018, therefore, is going to find organizations having to soothe customer concerns by only working with secure hardware and software.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

 

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The IoT Reaper Botnet Predicts a Grim Future

Cyber Attack, Internet of things, IOT, malware, Mirai, Reaper, Security, Security Threats, , , , , ,
13
Feb 2018

With Internet of Things (IoT) devices becoming more prolific at work, their security risks are increasing. In particular, botnets are posing a major threat.

Botnets have been associated with hacking since the start of the 21st century and don’t show any signs of disappearing soon. Therefore, it’s no surprise that hackers are adopting these services into their attacks on IoT devices. The aim of a botnet is to create a huge network of infected computers connected to the internet to carry out DDoS attacks, spam campaigns and steal data. And, with the proliferation of unsecured IoT devices now online, it’s not hard to see why they’re so attractive to hackers.

One botnet which has been creating a few headlines recently is Reaper, so it’s a good place to start understanding their method of operation and how you can protect yourself.

The IoT Reaper Comes to Town

IoT devices, partly due to their recent emergence, aren’t exactly the most safe and secure devices to be connecting to your organization’s network. Sure, many of them are safe, but there are so many reports of devices being released with vulnerabilities in their code, a lack of firmware updates and default password exploitation issues. Accordingly, the warnings attributed to IoT devices need to be taken seriously. And when it comes to botnets such as Reaper, you can begin to understand why.

The Mirai botnet was the first big hack which took advantage of shortfalls in IoT security and its legacy is Reaper. Evolving the operation and build of Mirai (Reaper even shares some code with it), Reaper is a more sophisticated piece of malware. Mirai’s approach was to act purely as a password cracker, but Reaper is taking nine different approaches to exploit known vulnerabilities in devices manufactured by Linksys, GoAhead and NetGear to name but a few.

Reaper has the potential to create a huge botnet army and, with its myriad infection methods, could carry this out with much more ease than Mirai ever managed. Security researchers Checkpoint even estimate that around one million networks have been scanned in order to begin recruiting vulnerable devices. Reaper is also built to ensure that it can receive regular updates through new script updates and indicates a potential for the malware to be regularly strengthened.

Thankfully, the number of recruited bots has remained relatively low compared to initial estimates with around 10,000 to 20,000 drones being active at any one time. Experts suspect this may be down to poor coding, but with the potential for new updates to be patched into the malware, this could be rectified very quickly. A further benefit to consumers is that the hardware providers being targerted are tight on security and regularly issue firmware updates.

Keeping the Reaper at Bay

Allowing automatic firmware updates – and regularly checking manufacturers’ websites/social media for security updates – is paramount to keeping your organization’s IoT devices secure. Not only can botnets launch global attacks on computer networks, but they can also slow down individual devices and render them redundant.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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Creating a Culture of Security in the Internet of Things

Cyber Attack, Hacking, Internet of things, IOT, malware, Password Security, Security, Security Threats, , , , , ,
30
Jan 2018

Hackers aren’t the only threat to the security of your organization’s Internet of Things (IoT), your employees can be just as culpable for security risks.

Let’s face it, the IoT is a relatively new phenomenon and, even though most of your employees will have smart devices at home, the majority of your workforce won’t be aware of the many security dangers. It’s this lack of knowledge which can lead to major security flaws which leave your network open to hackers and their accompanying chaos.

However, humans have a huge capacity for learning and if you can ingrain the basics of IoT security in the business culture, you’ll find that your employees are soon on top of things. And this knowledge can provide an extra layer of defense, so let’s take a look at how you can provide this.

Ban All Guest Access

Many organizations provide guest access to, at the very least, their Wi-Fi network so that visitors can check emails, liaise with their own staff and, more likely, check Facebook! However, whilst this is a generous gesture, it opens your network up to a whole host of security risks. If there’s a freely available guest network then it’s likely that everyone in your organization will know the password and it can be passed on to any visitors.

Now, you’re never going to know every single visitor to your company and, crucially, you’re never going to know how secure these visitors’ devices are. Therefore, it’s a highly dangerous move to allow your employees to grant free access to any section of your network. The simplest way to combat this and prevent bad security practices is to ban all guest access to your organization’s Wi-Fi. It may seem drastic, but it will really hammer home the security risk to your employees.

Improve the Password Culture

Passwords are one of the oldest forms of computer security, but they’re also one of the most effective. IoT devices, though, have a reputation for coming pre-loaded with highly weak default passwords, so the effort required to hack them is relatively low. Changing not only default passwords, but also regularly changing existing passwords remains a highly important task to secure your smart devices.

Your employees are likely to be highly busy, though, so changing their password will tend to fall down their list of things to do. This is where you, as an employer, need to ensure that regular reminders are sent out to your employees to indicate when passwords require changing. Ideally this should be between 6 – 12 weeks of the last password change and the best way to enforce this is by restricting access to applications if the password is not changed.

Whilst employees will initially grumble about having to change their password and remember a new one, these complaints will soon subside and employees will become compliant with the process.

Regular Training

As mentioned in my opening, the IoT is a new phenomenon and the collective knowledge of your employees will be limited. And that’s why you need to make sure that your staff are given regular training sessions on the importance of IoT security.

Ideally, the IT induction that all new starters take should include a section on IoT security; after all, almost of all your employees will bring a personal smartphone into work and, of course, certain employees will be issued with company laptops and smartphones, so the need for good security practices from the off are vital.

It may seem time consuming to complete inductions and regular refreshing training, but the enhanced knowledge among your workforce will ensure that your networks remain safe from the most simple (yet damaging) IoT security mistakes.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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6 Tips to Keep the Internet of Things Secure

Internet of things, IOT, Password Security, Security, Security Threats, , ,
16
Jan 2018

The Internet of Things (IoT) relates to all those smart devices which can connect to your network and communicate with it, but how do you make the IoT safe?

We have smart devices not just at home, but also within our businesses and it’s no surprise to hear that it’s estimated up to 8.4 billion smart devices will be connected in 2017. Naturally, with such a huge number of devices accessing networks, it’s not surprise that they’re proving to be highly interesting to hackers.

As our business life is becoming more and more digital, the need for the IoT is increasing just as rapidly, that’s why I’m going to share 6 tips to keep the IoT secure.

1.  Understand What’s Connected

It’s important that you know which devices are regularly connected to your network. By understanding which devices offer a route into your network, you’re able to take preventative measures to help safeguard against any vulnerabilities. Make sure that a database is kept and regularly updated to include any new hardware so that you can fully understand the reach of your IoT.

2.  Keep IoT Devices on a Separate Network

If one of your IoT devices is compromised by a hacker then this represents a threat to everything on that network, so it’s important that you segment all your IoT devices onto a separate network. In the event of an IoT device being hacked you can then limit the data on offer to the hacker.

3.  Don’t Leave Devices Connected for Longer than Necessary

It’s impossible to hack a smart device which isn’t plugged in, so to completely minimize the risk it’s highly recommended that smart devices are disconnected from the network when they’re not being used. This is a good security practice that needs to be communicated to all employees as anything can be hacked be it a printer or a webcam.

4.  Always Install Firmware Updates

As with any other piece of hardware or software, firmware updates for smart devices need to be installed as soon as possible. Not many people are aware of the security risks associated with smart devices, so firmware updates are often ignored – this is why hackers are starting to target them more and more often. So, once you see that update request, make sure you click it.

5.  Limit Personal Device Usage

99.9% of the population appears to have a smartphone, so this means that almost all of your employees will be bringing a smart device to work every day. And, to ensure that they can keep up to date with Facebook, they’ll be piggybacking onto your company WiFi to create an internet connection. Therefore, it’s important that you limit personal device usage or, at least, create a sign in method which uses company email addresses. 

6.  Password Protect Everything

Finally, you must make sure that you password protect every single smart device within your business. As previously mentioned, it’s easy to assume that a printer is never going to get hacked, but it happens. By establishing a set of passwords (all different of course) for all your smart devices you’re putting that extra layer of defense in front of your business. And the more defenses you have, the less attractive your network becomes to hackers.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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