What’s Iot?
Internet of things, apparently (not enough for you? Keep reading…)
I’ve got no idea what Iot means or what it actually does so you and I will find out together! Fun right?
So, as I said Iot stands for “Internet of things”, and what’s that about? It refers to the idea of connecting “everyday physical objects” to the Internet and making them able to “identify themselves” to other devices.
“The Internet of Things is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects, animals or people that are provided with unique identifiers and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction”. (http://bullying.solutions/uncategorized/iot-stopping-physical-bullying/)
So, objects or animals or humans connected to a tecnological device: a person with a heart monitor implant, a farm animal with a microchip, an automobile that has built-in sensors to alert the driver when tire pressure is low or any other natural or man-made object that can be assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) address and is able to transfer data over a network.
For example, smart homes that are equipped with smart thermostats, smart appliances and connected heating, lighting and electronic devices can be controlled remotely via computers and smartphones.
Wearable devices with sensors and software can collect and analyze user data, sending messages to other technologies about the users with the aim of making users’ lives easier and more comfortable. Wearable devices are also used for public safety — for example, improving first responders’ response times during emergencies by providing optimized routes to a location or by tracking construction workers’ or firefighters’ vital signs at life-threatening sites.
In healthcare, IoT offers many benefits, including the ability to monitor patients more closely using an analysis of the data that’s generated. Hospitals often use IoT systems to complete tasks such as inventory management for both pharmaceuticals and medical instruments.
But what kind of data?
You might be so used to this and take it for granted, or you might be suspiciuos about what tecnology does for you in your every day life. For example, back in the year 2016 my mother and I wanted to travel to Germany because my mother had a lecture (or something like that) in Berlin and wanted me to tag along, and taking on the opportunity, travel a little more through Europe.
First things first: flights and a place to stay. One day we started looking for places in booking.com and cheap flights in ryanair.com. Later that day Instagram started showing me RyanAir and Booking publicity… FOR GERMANY. It should not have to surprise me (or get paranoid over it), given that I have signed in both websites with my personal e-mail, so does Instagram.
What does my trip to Germany has to do with this topic? Absolutely nothing. But the planning does. Instagram took that data (about me wanting to go to Germany) and targeted Booking and RyanAir publicity for me to check it out.
Another example, take those car with a GPS system. I’m a big fan of detective and police series like Law and Order or Chicago P.D. And what happens in these series is that they always check out the GPS system of a suspects car, they go through an algorithm to see which places this suspect visited last, which places were out of his/her route to work, etc. And that’s really great and a little scary, don’t you think?
I’m a 90’s person in love with 80’s films. Seen Terminator?
Great and absolutely recomend it. Have you seen its sequels? Terminator: Genisys would be the best to make you understand why people have their reservations about Iot.
One scene where Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese (John Connor’s parents, spoiler alert) are in the present day (2015), and are taken to a hospital room to be taken care of, and the young doctor while stitching Sarah is talking on his bluetooth headphone to someone about this new app Genisys (Skynet) and when our two protagonists ask him about it, this doctor tells them that this app will sync up all his devices, including home, car and everything that could be connected to the internet.
Given that this app will then give room for Skynet to kill almost everyone in the future (at least in the film), Sarah and Kyle had to stop it.
You see where I’m getting at, right? Most people take no notice at all about how everyday app is accessing information about you all the time. You might think its harmless, and most time the data apps or devices recollect are non threatening, why would I mind if they know where I go to work everyday? Is there something special about knowing I go to the supermarket every Tuesday and Friday at around the same time?
Now you are getting some stalker ideas, don’t you? You are thinking if you know this info you could use it to harm me or something. And you could. That’ why Iot is so important because any smart device can serve as an entry point for cybercriminals to access the network.
If not taken care of, a company, a business, or even yourself would be at risk.
The benefits of the IoT for business depend on the particular implementation; agility and efficiency are usually top considerations. The idea is that enterprises should have access to more data about their own products and their own internal systems, and a greater ability to make changes as a result.
But what if this data is used against you or your company?
In a company, once adversaries gain access through a device, they can then move laterally throughout the organization, accessing high-value assets or conducting malicious activity, such as stealing data, IP or sensitive information. In some attacks, such as a Denial of Service (DoS) attack, cybercriminals will assume control of the device and use it to overwhelm servers with web traffic, preventing legitimate users from conducting normal activity (https://www.crowdstrike.com/cybersecurity-101/internet-of-things-iot-security/?utm_campaign=dsa&utm_content=sola&utm_medium=sem&utm_source=goog&utm_term=&gclid=CjwKCAjwvMqDBhB8EiwA2iSmPIjM6yMCulAn2kBAqRvplCXFQd8zQ9E_xwj7qdgjVXlutzAMIvUK-hoChdgQAvD_BwE)
Consumers need to understand the exchange they are making and whether they are happy with that. Some of the same issues apply to business: would your executive team be happy to discuss a merger in a meeting room equipped with smart speakers and cameras, for example? One recent survey found that four out of five companies would be unable to identify all the IoT devices on their network.
Unfortunately, many IoT devices are not designed with security in mind. In many cases, these devices lack the processing power and storage capabilities to support the installation of additional security on the device itself, which means that companies and users cannot protect the endpoint beyond the existing security features. Instead, organizations must rely on network security capabilities to prevent attacks, as well as detect and remediate threats as they arise.
For private users, it is important to treat connected devices with the same level of security as they would a traditional endpoint, such as a computer or smartphone. To that end crowdstrike.com recommends:
- Staying up to date with all patching and OS updates required by the connected device.
- Using strong password practices for all connected devices.
- Enabling multi-factor authentication whenever possible.
- Routinely taking inventory of your connected devices and disable any items that are not used regularly.
At the enterprise level, IoT best practices also include:
- Developing and implementing an IoT device policy that outlines how employees can register and use a personal device, as well as how the organization will monitor, inspect and manage those devices to maintain the organization’s digital security.
- Compiling and maintaining a master list of all IoT devices — both those owned by the organization and those owned by employees — to better understand the attack surface and the security measures needed to maintain a safe environment.
- Consider implementing a cloud access security broker (CASB) to serve as a security check point between cloud network users and cloud-based applications to manage and enforce all data security policies and practices including authentication, authorization, alerts and encryption.
- Monitoring all network devices and taking immediate action if and when any devices show signs of compromise.
- Encrypting all data being transmitted to and from connected devices from its original format to an alternative.
It may seem like a lot to process, so why are we in the Iot route?
The internet of things helps people live and work smarter, as well as gain complete control over their lives. In addition to offering smart devices to automate homes, IoT is essential to business. IoT provides businesses with a real-time look into how their systems really work, delivering insights into everything from the performance of machines to supply chain and logistics operations.
IoT enables companies to automate processes and reduce labor costs. It also cuts down on waste and improves service delivery, making it less expensive to manufacture and deliver goods, as well as offering transparency into customer transactions.
As such, IoT is one of the most important technologies of everyday life, and it will continue to pick up steam as more businesses realize the potential of connected devices to keep them competitive.
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