Internet of Things: Enterprise Security Risks You Ought to Know About

With the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) – everything from thermostats to the office printer will be connected to the Internet and all devices on the network will be able to talk with each other. The hyper-connected IoT world is already here and is transforming our lives by enhancing our experience of using different digital devices, both at home and at office as well.

But the rise of IoT comes with big security risks, especially for enterprises.

According to Amit Yoran, general manager at RSA and former director of the National Cyber Security Division at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “The IoT and the enterprise network will intersect. If you can hack into a web-enabled device which also happens to have connectivity to the corporate network or infrastructure, you can create a bridge to pass traffic back and forth.”

With billions of devices connected to the Internet, the IoT world will inherently create billions of insecure endpoints. These devices will create new security vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can break into to gain unauthorized access to enterprise networks. The IoT will also enable physical and physiological damage with the risk of cyber attacks on all IP-enabled devices such as printers, scanners, air conditioning systems, wearable gadgets, medical equipment (insulin pumps, pacemakers, etc.), and more.

Businesses definitely need to invest in better security systems so as to mitigate the risk of exposing more devices and services to the Internet.

Check out this post to learn more about the top enterprise security risks associated with IoT.