4 min read | Jan 14, 2025
Physical devices that connect wirelessly to an internet network are referred to as the “Internet of Things” or IoT. The more devices that are connected, the higher the risk of your data being compromised by external threats. Like with personal devices, it’s important to secure business IoT devices as the world becomes more and more connected. Here are some key ways to secure your organization’s IoT devices and networks and how it differs from traditional network monitoring.
What Is the Internet of Things?
The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of interconnected devices that communicate and exchange data over the internet. These devices can range from smart home appliances and wearable fitness trackers to industrial sensors and connected vehicles—and they’re becoming increasingly essential for everyday operations.
While this technology has created huge advancements both at home and in industries like healthcare and manufacturing, it creates another access point for cybercriminals to attack and move laterally across your network. Some traditional security defenses can’t hold up, so it’s important to take the right steps to protect all your critical IoT devices.
What is IoT Cybersecurity?
To prevent cybercriminals from accessing and exploiting your IoT devices, IoT cybersecurity measures safeguard your devices and your organization’s sensitive data. This type of security can be particularly challenging since many IoT devices aren’t built with strong security features as standard, so taking advantage of additional measures can protect your business from data breaches, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks or compromised connected networks
How Is IoT Security Different From General Cybersecurity?
IoT security focuses specifically on securing connected devices and the networks they operate on. It includes measures like device authentication, secure firmware updates and encryption. General cybersecurity covers a broader scope, including IT systems, software and data protection. In today’s increasingly interconnected digital world, it’s critical to ensure you take measures to secure all your systems, including IoT devices.
Cybersecurity Risks in IoT Devices
In complex networks with several connected operational devices, protecting IoT is particularly important to ensure physical safety and operational continuity. The most common vulnerabilities of IoT devices include:
- Outdated software: Devices running on outdated software make it easier for a cyber-attacker to infiltrate through unpatched systems
- Physical tampering: Inside threats can install malicious or altered hardware to gain access to the network
- Weak passwords: Hackers use computer-powered efforts to guess the correct password of a system
- Lack of device management: Not being aware of device status can allow potential vulnerabilities and compromises to go overlooked
How to Protect IoT Networks and Data
Once an IoT device has been compromised, hackers can move quickly to other networks within your organization. Taking proactive steps can bolster your security measures and speed up your threat detection and response. Here are some methods that can be applied to ensure the security of IoT devices:
- Keep firmware and software up to date
- Use strong, unique passwords for each device
- Enable encryption for data transmission
- Regularly monitor and audit device security
Why IoT Cybersecurity is Essential for Your Business?
There are more operational benefits to IoT cybersecurity than just mitigating potential risks. Ensuring all your company devices and networks are protected allows you and your employees to stay focused, productive and efficient—ultimately affecting your bottom line. Plus, by partnering with the right IoT cybersecurity expert to handle it all, your business will be completely protected from external threats through network design, managed IT services and support and more, so you can focus solely on running your business.
Secure Your IoT Devices and Network with Benton Technology Solutions
Protecting your IoT systems from cyber threats is critical to ensuring the security of your business operations and sensitive data. At Benton Technology Solutions, we specialize in providing comprehensive IT support, including IoT security, network design, mobile security and data backup solutions. Our team of experts can help you safeguard your connected devices and build a robust cybersecurity framework tailored to your needs.
Contact Benton Tech today to learn more about how we can protect your business in an increasingly connected world.