*By Cleber Ribas
Factories with robots everywhere, autonomous cars on the streets, connected homes and devices working to make our lives easier and smarter. These are some examples of a hyperconnected reality that is getting closer to everyone, with the popularization of Internet of Things (IoT — from Internet of Things, in English) growing rapidly in recent years. Driven by the arrival of the 5G connection and the expansion of Cloud Computing solutions, the adoption of IoT is an unquestionable trend for the future, above all because it allows gains such as a potential improvement in operational efficiency and the intelligent automation of tasks in the most diverse areas and formats.
The tradeoff, however, is clear: with more and more devices connected, the ports for possible cyber attacks will also be more available. Therefore, it is essential that the rise of the Internet of Things is accompanied by a new approach that places cybersecurity as one of the key factors to be observed during this journey of evolution.
As digital threats become more sophisticated and pervasive, the more important a company's digital protection strategy will become. According to research by Gartner, for example, we should reach 43 billion connected devices in 2023. Another projection by the consultancy also indicates that about half of the companies plan to carry out IoT projects in the next 24 months, including automation as a priority business strategy. For the success of these initiatives, however, it will require organizations to seek solutions to optimize the performance of operations, extracting real value from concepts such as the Internet of Things and Cloud applications.
In addition to sensors and sensors, companies need to incorporate cybersecurity as part of their connection projects from the beginning. Even more so in mobile, decentralized and connected environments endpoints of the most diverse types and formats, involving different technologies, such as sensors, actuators, communication devices, Cloud platforms and applications of various models and functions. The constant exchange of information will make the networks, more than ever, in contact with the world.
Therefore, it is possible to say that the Internet of Things will reinforce something that has already been happening in the digital age, especially in recent years, with the strengthening of hybrid and remote work models: the perimeter of networks to be protected is changing and growing rapidly.
Therefore, to accompany this transformation at the perimeter of networks, IT, Information Security and Business teams need to walk together, enabling cybersecurity layers that go ahead and offer assertive and proactive protection to users at all their connection points. A house, for example, is no longer a network with just a cell phone and notebook connected to the Internet; it's cell phones, notebooks, modems and routers, TVs, video games and much more (in the future, this list will increasingly include light bulbs, refrigerators, appliances of all sorts, etc.). And in this network circulate personal and corporate data that need to be preserved and maintained in compliance with regulatory rules.
Failure to pay attention to this reality (inside companies or away from offices, at employees' homes, including) can lead to serious problems, as this equipment is increasingly present in our lives and can be used to control important resources, such as factory automation and control.
Vulnerabilities in these elements can help cyber attackers gain access to corporate networks and steal sensitive information, impacting industrial environments and allowing attackers to tamper with — or disable — operating technology. To mitigate these risks, leaders must always be alert to possible threats and have security measures in place to protect equipment and data associated with projects, with increased attention to company specifications and the necessary integrations for the operation of hardware, software and network.
Thus, IT administrators can take some actions to protect IoT applications, such as implementing next-generation firewall with strong encryption; frequent software updates; the use of secure passwords; disable any unnecessary functionality and services running on each device to minimize points of attack; use VPNs to protect communication between equipment and the Internet and include a management and monitoring solution.
To complete, the human factor must also be considered, as the company must create robust security policies and the team must undergo regular training on safe practices for using connected devices in order to ensure that they are aware of the risks and know how to protect company data. It is also important for managers to keep up to date on new vulnerabilities that may arise due to different scenarios, such as incorrect configuration in an environment.
The security of each component of the Internet of Things is crucial to ensure the security of the entire network. And knowledge about these risks and protective measures should be a priority. After all, unsecured and connected devices can cause a devastating chain reaction for any organization. It is necessary to innovate, to accelerate, but also to ensure that the value of the innovations is, in fact, received.
*Cleber Ribas, CEO of Blockbit
EN 
PT 
