March 26, 2018
In the recent Facebook scandal, it became pretty clear how vulnerable we all actually are in terms of our private and even confidential data. But even if you go as far as to actually delete your Facebook account itself, does this then mean you will be completely secure in this world that is rapidly becoming more connected? Evidently, no.Like we described in this post, the coming years may witness instances worse than 2017’s ‘Cyber-Geddon’, due to the growing number of connected devices and our dependence on them.
In the March 2017 report published by The Wall Street Journal, Wiki Leaks exposed how Central Intelligence Agency has hacked smart devices including mobile phones, televisions and smart speakers, to record information that can be sold or stolen without any revelation about the leak being intimated to the consumers.
Internet of Things (IoT) is without a doubt the onset of a new and better era, where technology will redefine the improved standards of living for all. As per the report published by IHS Markit, there will be around 125 billion connected devices worldwide by the year 2030, making the lives of people involved easier and more productive.
So as far as the progress is concerned, IoT is well on its way to becoming a massive phenomenon but unfortunately the same cannot be said for the security features of the technology. In our previous post, we clarified how we’re lagging behind in the progress chart of technology and are yet not able to deal with the known threats, let alone the ones yet unknown.But in this post we won’t keep you hanging on the concerned end of the spectrum, here we wish to share some ideas to make this rapidly changing world more secure and reliable for people.
Strong Authentication
Each entry point in an IoT network is the point of maximum vulnerability. These entry points, if hacked,can create disastrous consequences for all the connected users and the network operator. Therefore, the first step in laying the foundation of a more secure IoT world is to ensure that the entire connection from IoT devices to the centre of the network, over s1 and Gb interfaces are completely authenticated.Thus,the operator also ought to invest in the likes of RFC 4895 for more secure SCTP protocols. Another advantage of having a better-authenticated system is the reduced susceptibility of DDoS attacks.
Encrypted Network
Other more prominent and probable attacks associated with the IoT network are ‘man-in-the-middle’ attacks. In which, the hackers find a middle way to breach the communications between two systems. Both systems, in such an attack are unaware of the breach and consider the messages modulated by the hackers to be the genuine ones. Such attacks can easily make the connected devices, in manufacturing units and transportation, extremely hazardous even lethal.The best bet to deal with such attacks is through a network that is completely encrypted. Though some may argue against the practicability of the idea owing to the need and difficulty in implementation of typical networking, one may find better solutions with Blockchain. In fact, the combination of Blockchain and IoT has a lot more to contribute to the betterment of the society than the essential security set up, read this blog for more information.
Progressive Security Measures
Having a clear-cut solution applied everywhere at once is not something very feasible in this rapidly evolving world of connectivity.We know that the bad actors of the network security will always have something more notorious and challenging concepts to deal with. Therefore, laying a b foundation of a secure network is just the first step. With proper data analytics, for which arrangements have to be made beforehand, we can assure a better reliance on the tech-driven world.There is some good news with the growth in AI, Machine Learning and Big Data Analytics, as these solutions are more applicable than what one may have assumed a few years ago. In fact, vendors like Cisco, Kaspersky Lab, and SAP, have already done ample of R&D in the direction to establish the plausibility of the solution.
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