Internet of Things is coming to industry, and it is already impacting the automotive and healthcare industries. The first wave in healthcare has already arrived with fitness monitoring and other health-related devices that are carried by millions of people every day. Drivers may expect their vehicles to function as smartphones on wheels in the near future. IoT promises to save time and money, improve efficiency, and enhance productivity, but if you have concerns about IoT security, those fears are not unfounded.
IoT Security Risks
IoT security issues are very real in any industry. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, employees who introduce connected devices to company networks create some the greatest risks. As barring IoT devices in the workplace is not feasible, companies will need to manage IoT security risks through other methods and processes.
Smart watches, fitness bands, and other IoT devices have grown in popularity and are making their way into the workplace with increasing frequency on employees’ wrists or in their pockets and handbags. Your employees may not realize that if their devices connect to your company’s servers and networks, they could store and share information and create entry points for information to be compromised.
Avoiding IoT and having competitors pass you by is also not a viable option. IoT devices can help you access information, increase efficiency, and raise productivity and profitability. Along with those advantages, however, comes the risk of an incursion, and a data breach that could have a negative impact on your company’s reputation and future business.
Managing IoT Security Risks
You cannot rely on IoT device manufacturers to implement adequate security measures. Manufacturers may not even inform users of the types of information the devices collect or the potential IoT security risks they pose. The IT industry itself may not have security standards sufficiently high to protect IoT devices.
Business organizations need to adopt standards and practices to address their own security needs, including these basic steps:
- Update all company devices regularly with security upgrades.
- Require employees to connect all their IoT devices through a guest network, not the company’s internal network.
- Make sure your IT and security personnel are CSX (CyberSecurity Nexus) certified.
- Train all employees in cybersecurity.
Currently, security measures do not exist to mitigate all cyberthreat possibilities with IoT. There is hope that IT security controls developed over the past quarter of century can be made effective in IoT if they can be adapted to embedded devices.
Legal Help with IoT Security Matters in California
Security risks and data breaches can create legal issues and negatively impact your company’s success. If you are dealing with IoT security matters in California, our general complex litigation attorneys at McCuneWright LLP can assist you. We have the knowledge, skills, and resources to provide high-quality representation. We are proud of our impressive record of success on behalf of our clients. Contact us for a consultation.