IoT Application Security – A concern and an inspiration

IoT is decidedly an intelligent new form of technological evolution but it has had its setbacks in its relatively short existence. Namely this comprises security, which has been an area of concern since its creation.

This supporting technology is now being looked at through a magnifying glass. Recently, IoT applications have grown rapidly but the security aspect has not managed to keep up with this development.

Ponemon Institute, an American privacy data research company revealed in a study published in January 2017 that according to them, 80% of all IoT apps out there have vulnerabilities that threaten to put private and organisational parties at risk. In addition, the researchers interviewed over 500 IT security practitioners, of whom 66% are concerned about malware specifically in this area of IoT and an even bigger proportion – 75% – believe its usage causes a significant increase in security risks.

This leads to new ways of thinking of to combat and prevent any potential hacks and harmful software. The answer can be as simple as pin codes – that can be up to six numbers long, fingerprint identification, data encryption or following the models created by other apps. Banks, for example, have succeeded in guaranteeing their customers’ privacy in mobile banking and their strategy could be implemented in IoT apps too. One-way access, from app to the device but not the other way around, could also be the solution.

While it poses a problem it is also an opportunity for innovation. Security is an essential part of any new technology and it cannot progress without addressing these concerns. Therefore, it can be said with certainty that if a working solution presented itself, it would be received positively and implemented swiftly.

This is one of the reasons Dashboard has a committed approach to IoT security. We believe this problem will not persist for much longer and can be resolved, as in our opinion and experience all significant harm to industry and consumers can be avoided.