Internet of Things (IoT) devices are becoming the favorite targets of attackers due to their lack of designed-in security and chronic default password use, according to a recent report from Forrester. IoT attacks are growing at a faster rate than mainstream breaches, and malicious objects are being blocked on over 40% of OT systems. In some cases, the breaches are used as a pathway to accessing mission-critical systems and sensitive data, leading to devastating consequences for organizations. IoT devices are popular targets for threat actors because they are easy to breach and can lead to large ransomware payouts in industries where uptime is critical. Manufacturing is particularly vulnerable as attackers know that any factory or plant cannot afford to be down for long, so they demand up to four times the ransom than they might from other targets.
Forrester identified four key factors that contribute to IoT devices becoming high-value targets, including weak security measures, the use of default passwords, unsupported operating systems, and connections to the internet. The use of unsupported operating systems increases the risk of devices becoming bricked if they are compromised and cannot be patched. Similarly, the connection to the internet makes IoT devices a liability and conduits for command-and-control attacks, or they become botnets.
To combat these threats, organizations must take action to eliminate blind spots associated with unmanaged or unsupported legacy systems, as well as enforce the use of strong passwords and implement a unified endpoint management (UEM) solution that can discover all assets on an organization’s network. Cybersecurity vendors, including Airgap Networks, Absolute Software, Armis, Cisco, and Entrust, offer IoT security systems and platforms that target security gaps in OT systems and devices.
IoT devices have become a growing threat vector for companies who rely on them for the real-time data they need to operate. According to recent studies, 73% of IoT-based IV pumps and 50% of voice-over-IP (VoIP) systems are hackable, and overall, 50% of connected devices in a typical hospital have critical risks. Manufacturers are also unsure how to protect legacy IoT devices and programmable logic controllers (PLCs), making securing them difficult for organizations that lack in-house IT and security expertise.
The use of accurate asset discovery, microsegmentation, and identity can help to secure IoT devices, but traditional cybersecurity solutions that require an agent are often not practical. Instead, organizations may need to consider agentless cybersecurity solutions such as Airgap Networks to achieve a seamless, proactive risk response to remediate actively exploited vulnerabilities on all devices and operating systems in an organization’s environment.
