Report: Internet of Things is cybersecurity’s next frontier

Securing the Internet of Things (IoT) is going to be a considerable challenge in the next decade, not least because the security implications are more varied than for traditional IT settings, according to ABI Research. The firm's latest report contends that, with new IoT technologies, new cybersecurity variables also come into play, including safety considerations, consumer privacy, and data protection.

"Media coverage has hyped the advent of hacked toilets and spammer fridges, but the underlying trend is worrying because it highlights the fact that secure product development is not the norm for connected Things," warns Michela Menting, ABI's Cybersecurity practice director. "The IoT is subject to numerous vulnerabilities at all of its core layers: perception, network, and application. The balance between cost and risk often means 'Things' are less likely to employ more complex, resource-intensive security, such as access control and authentication."

Some of these issues will be addressed at the gateway level or at the platform layer, but this is only part of the solution for strengthening Things more generally, maintains ABI. “Embedded security, trusted computing, security protocols -- these are all fledgling areas of product development for the IoT,” continues Menting. “Manufacturers are still trying to find their feet and justify investment in secure design, development, and product lifecycle.”

The firm's new report notes that a few players are "nonetheless pioneering the way for strengthening the IoT." Companies cited for "slowly shaping the market in embedded security or the testing and auditing of IoT applications prior to launch [as] the first steps in providing a trustworthy base" include Arrayent, Hewlett-Packard, Microchip, NXP Semiconductors, Sonatype, and Wind River.

The companies are reviewed in ABI Research’s new report entitled, Securing the Internet of Things. Learn more about the report.