The Best Ways to Use the Internet of Things in Business

Internet of things, IOT, Productivity, , ,
26
Jun 2018

The Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized the way we do business thanks to the accessibility on offer, but are you getting the best out of it?

More and more organizations are using IoT devices to help improve their business operations and it’s estimated that around 31 billion IoT devices will be in use by 2020. The aim of these IoT devices, in business, is to maximize productivity and help organizations deliver fantastic customer experiences. Understanding how they can achieve these objectives, however, isn’t as simple as just plugging the devices in and letting them get to work.

To help you appreciate which areas of your business they can improve, we’ve put together a list of the best ways to use the IoT in business.

Analytics

Due to the vast range of IoT devices now available, it’s possible for businesses to measure and analyze almost anything you can imagine. Say, for example, you want to understand the usage of forklift trucks in your warehouse. Sure, you could ask people in the warehouse for anecdotal evidence, but this would only be a rough estimate. If, however, you have an IoT sensor which measures movement, you can calculate some seriously precise data. And, with this data, you can then analyze it more closely and determine much more effective solutions for improving your forklift usage.

Understand Your Customers

Many IoT devices allow you to monitor the behavior of your customers and this gives you a significant edge in understanding their preferences. By collecting based on your customers’ usage of your products, you can begin to build a list of insights which detail their exact needs of your customers. This gives you the opportunity to enhance your products and make them much more beneficial to your customers in future. Accordingly, customers are more likely to stay loyal due to the enhanced experience.

Asset Management

Tracking and maintaining assets has always been a difficult task for businesses, but the IoT has opened up new opportunities that promise to make it easier than ever before. Temperature monitoring devices, for example, can be installed into refrigerators and data then transmitted to an online portal. This can provide immediate and instant reference data all in one place so, if you work in a store with numerous refrigerators, you can immediate see how they are performing without having to go and check each individual unit.

Enhance Your Supply Chain

A good supply chain is crucial for good business and the IoT can deliver some amazing benefits for your supply chain. The IoT allows constant updates to be logged regarding your supply chain and this ensures excellent visibility for stock and products. Delays on parts and other stock issues can be identified exceptionally quickly and this means that these problems can be solved and improved just as quickly. With a more efficient supply chain in place, you’ll also be able to deliver a much better customer experience.

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

Read More

Hide ‘N Seek Botnet Threatens the Internet of Things

Cyber Attack, Hacking, Internet of things, IOT, malware, Password Security, Security, Security Threats, , ,
08
Mar 2018

The Internet of Things (IoT) has a new security threat and this time it uses peer-to-peer communication to spread, infect and compromise devices.

In January 2018, security researchers working for Bit-defender discovered a new botnet which, although not related, has similarities to the Reaper botnet. Originally infecting just 12 IoT devices, the Hide ‘N Seek botnet had soon amassed over 32,000 IoT devices by the end of the month. With the ability to steal data, take control of the device and run malicious code, Hide ‘N Seek represents a serious threat.

Understanding new and emerging threats to IoT devices is crucial if you want to protect your organization’s network, so it’s time to investigate Hide ‘N Seek a little closer.

Hide ‘N Seek is No Game

A brand of IP camera manufactured in South Korea appears to be the initial infection source for Hide ‘N Seek, but the botnet is actively attacking other IoT devices. Using randomly generated IP addresses, Hide ‘N Seek attempts to connect to any devices listed against these addresses. If the botnet succeeds in connecting then it either uses default login/password combinations to gain access or performs a brute force attack using a dictionary list to crack the login credentials.

With access obtained, Hide ‘N Seek analyses the device to discover any potential vulnerabilities such as the ability to download malware or launch DDoS attacks. The remote botnet hacker also has the option of executing any command they wish on the infected device; this option provides them with the chance to steal any files they wish. The capabilities of Hide ‘N Seek are clearly advanced and innovative, but what’s even cleverer is that it appears to be constantly redesigning itself to minimize detection.

Communication between the infected devices is made possible by the peer-to-peer network at the heart of Hide ‘N Seek. Using peer-to-peer software for hacking is nothing new, but previous methods have always involved modifying existing torrent software. Hide ‘N Seek is taking hacking to a new level by using completely custom built peer-to-peer software which has no central command unit; therefore, closing this network down is virtually impossible.

Combating Hide ‘N Seek

The advanced design of Hide ‘N Seek is proof that it’s the work of highly skilled hackers, but, once again, the vulnerability being exploited is the use of default passwords. Let’s face it, giving a hacker a key to a locked door is the worst form of security you can imagine, but this is exactly what default passwords are. And this is why password security remains the number one priority for any devices within your network, whether they’re connected to the IoT or otherwise.

By changing these default passwords while devices are on isolated networks, your organization can seriously increase the strength of their defenses. Otherwise, you’re leaving your networks at the mercy of malicious botnets such as Hide ‘N Seek. And, believe me, just as Reaper wasn’t the last IoT botnet, neither will Hide ‘N Seek be the final word in hacking in this new IoT landscape.

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

Read More

Hacking the Internet of Things For a Few Dollars

Company Updates, Cyber Attack, Hacking, Internet of things, IOT, Security, Security Threats, , , , ,
06
Mar 2018

The Internet of Things (IoT) has many security concerns, but perhaps one of the most pressing worries is that IoT devices can be easily hacked for just a few dollars.

A group of elite hackers have recently demonstrated the ease with which a hardware hack can be unleashed to take control of IoT devices. All they require to carry out the hack is an SD card reader, the ability to solder and a length of wire – all in all, this should come to around $10. And once they’ve taken control of the device they can not only exploit any data on there, but also use it as a stepping stone to get further into the network it’s on.

With the number of IoT devices expected to hit the 20 billion mark by 2020, the risk of attacks on these devices is only going to get greater and greater. And, for a business, where nearly every employee will have access to an IoT device, perhaps it’s time to get acquainted with this low cost and easy to deploy attack.

Hacking on a Budget

The hack in question is a flash memory attack and, as such, targets IoT devices which have a flash memory – in particular a form of memory known as eMMC flash. It’s likely that you’ve never heard of eMMC flash, but it’s built into a wide range of devices such as smart TVs, cell phones, tablets and even refrigerators. Just think about how many of those devices are in your organization and connected to your network – that’s right, it’s pretty scary. What, though, is this $10 hack?

Well, the hackers – who go under the group name of exploitee.rs – have revealed that they can gain read/write access to devices by taking a flash memory card and soldering wires to five specific places:

  1. Data line
  2. Clock line
  3. Command line
  4. Power line
  5. Ground

This access allows the hackers to start stealing data and to issue commands to the device before taking complete control of it. Once the flash memory card in question is put into an SD card reader, it can then be connected to a PC to glean complete copies of that device’s data inventory. And it’s at this point that the hackers are able to identify zero-day vulnerabilities in the device, vulnerabilities which can be applied to that specific device and any other unit of the same product.

With this information to hand, the hackers are then empowered to launch remote attacks against said device and, potentially, use these infiltrated devices to gain access to the networks they’re connected to. And all of this is possible because hardware manufacturers fail to secure flash memory on their devices, they’re only concerned with creating a front line defense with nothing behind it.

Managing IoT Security Concerns

Hardware manufacturers are slightly off the pace as demonstrated by this budget hack, so for the consumer it’s particularly troubling. As ever, the best advice is to install patches and firmware upgrades as soon as possible. However, when a hardware vulnerability is found it means that it has the potential to leave huge numbers of the same devices – if not all of them – at the risk of being hacked. Therefore, identifying the form of flash memory present in devices may become a major buying point for consumers.

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

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More
1 2 3 4 5