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The Internet of Things is Here and Growing but are You Ready for it?

This roundtable discussion noted from the very beginning that the amount of devices being used in any business in current times, regardless of industry, is rapidly growing. It will not be long before tens of millions of IoT devices are connected around the world. In the past we could more easily secure a solid processing compliance system, but with all these devices, this is no longer simple. The group noted that when it comes to the Internet of Things, we have many concerns. The most obvious is the attack surface this provides. For example, our traditional endpoints that were once difficult to penetrate are now digital and more accessible to hackers. Furthermore, many IoT devices have little to no security at all. There is a complicated balance between making these devices convenient and making them comfortably secure, and that is tricky to maintain—and most of the time, convenient use wins over security. One group member gave the example of modern smart devices that respond to verbal cues and questions—these devices are always on, always listening, which makes it a rather unsecure piece of technology to have in your environment when hackers enter into the equation. Many toy companies are even creating smart toys such as teddy bears and dolls that respond to cues, and even these innocent toys are now a hackable security and safety risk. Overall, the amount of devices out there that are a potential risk—whether in businesses or at home—is growing every day and making information and cyber security a real challenge. The group agreed that teams, vendors, and third party IoT creators need to work together to find new ways to secure their devices, and to focus on ensuring these devices are secure, not just convenient.