As we become more reliant on connected devices to run our homes, businesses and lives cybersecurity has been elevated to the top of many peoples’ priority lists. The threats that IoT devices are facing are very different from the ones faced by traditional computers and require a different set of tools to safeguard them from harm.
With a myriad of different IoT device types each with its own operating system software and features It’s not a surprise that malware attacks targeting these kinds of devices are on the rise. The absence of standard software can create problems when it comes to creating security tools that are compatible with multiple devices.
In 2016 threat actors created one of the largest botnets ever created by using a simple hack on IoT devices. This destabilized parts of the Internet, and made websites like The New york Times’s website, Brian Krebs’s site, and French web host OVH unreachable for hours. The attackers simply searched the Internet for default usernames and passwords on IoT devices, then assembled an army of them to start the DDoS attack.
When it comes down to protecting against these types of dangers, antiviruses as well as iot have a significant role to play. However, this type security software must increase its surveillance capabilities to include a review of the way IoT devices communicate with each other and with the outside world, while also maintaining strong password practices two-factor authentication, and up-to date patching. These measures, when paired with other security tools to guard against IoT threats, are an effective defense.