The IoT Could Be The Next Target For Hackers- Gartner

Research Company Gartner has revealed that Internet of Things huge growing potential could attract Hackers interest in the technology resulting into threat attacks in the near future.  As per Gartner, 6.4 billion connected things in the form of wearable, touch or utility devices will be in use worldwide in 2016 and this number will grow to 20.8 billion by 2020.

With such massive growth forecasted in IOT, there is an obvious danger that Hackers could well be looking at this as the next target, according to latest reports by thewindowsclub.com.

Talking about the recent IOT security breaches, Gartner analyst John Lovelock says, “For those thinking this is a far-off scenario, it’s not. There are examples of recent Internet of Things (IoT) breaches, such as compromised dolls, or the VTech data breach that exposed the personal data of 12 million people, including 6.4 million minors. In each of these cases, the privacy of children has been called into question”.

What really aids hackers in this case is that a smart toy which was never really looked as a possible threat tool earlier could now be used to gain access to smart TVs, mobile phones, computers, tablets, gaming systems and literally everything that is connected to the home network. And these devices aren’t always safe. In fact, many of them leverage the cloud for security. The device’s security is

also tied to, and reliant on, the security of the manufacturer’s use of cloud and software as a service (SaaS) offerings.

If IOT has to grow, it has to grow along with improvements in security tools and techniques. Although there are many tools available in the market today, new threats can be addressed only if security tools are beefed up to counter them.

Gartner says that the security market will experience continued, and relatively strong, growth. Enterprises will continue to grapple with securing cloud and SaaS environments. Many companies have augmented, or are in the process of augmenting, their capabilities to deliver greater cloud and SaaS support.

To ensure IOT security, discovery of devices, and provisioning new and maintaining security of existing devices will be first checking points. Putting up authentication systems in place and ensuring security of data will also be a priority.

The role of security personnels and managers would also assume greater importance as they would be the ones who have to start seeing IOT devices as the possible leak points which hackers can target and hence evolve a better security infrastructure for them.