IoT Cybersecurity is the practice to keep your IoT devices, processes, machinery, and systems safe. Nowadays, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), which connects workers, data, and equipment, is widely considered to be the most important development in manufacturing since the Industrial Revolution.
A manufacturer who plans to incorporate connected manufacturing capabilities can reap the benefits of:
- Greater operational efficiency
- Safety
- Lower costs.
However, even when IoT can be a competitive advantage for manufacturers, it can also introduce new operational risks.
These are important to remember and you should also consider how to protect your business from the connected world. These are several risks you need to be aware of when IoT is introduced into manufacturing processes, procedures, and final products.
For example, Miraj botnet was attacked because she did not have any IoT cybersecurity protocols. Overwhelming websites with Distributed Denial-of-Service attacks (DDoS).
The botnet detected insecure default passwords, so, it infected the devices with malware that took well-known websites offline. Other botnet attacks are also possible on the devices, potentially compromising them and spreading to other connected systems.
Why is IoT Cybersecurity necessary?
Incorrectly integrating IoT cybersecurity into your operations could result in damage to your manufacturing plant, raw materials, or finished goods.
Companies have to certificate proper quality control before implementing IoT technology. This will help manufacturers avoid making mistakes that could lead to property loss. Manufacturers can provide clear instructions and warnings.
When companies do not protect their data, it is more likely to suffer of:
- Criminal attack
- Ineffective cloud protection
- Internet of Things security failure
- The vulnerability of IoT devices could all result in data breaches.
If the data is accessible via a hack or stored in the devices, a hacker can stop production operations and steal the company’s Intellectual property (IP).
Unwanted portals can appear with the installation of an IoT network.
The Key to the security
There are four primary access points that manufacturers need to consider when evaluating their IoT cybersecurity policies:
- To gain access to the IoT network, it is possible to breach the smart sensors and actuators which allow the IoT system to function autonomously.
- Communication systems that allow IoT devices and other devices to communicate with each other;
- Computer platforms that store and manages data.
- Software that interprets data to provide actionable insights (algorithms, applications, and actions).
