IoT Security
Article | July 5, 2023
Modern computing devices can be thought of as a collection of discrete microprocessors each with a dedicated function like high-speed networking, graphics, Disk I/O, AI, and everything in between. The emergence of the intelligent edge has accelerated the number of these cloud-connected devices that contain multiple specialized sub-processors each with its own firmware layer and often a custom operating system. Many vulnerability analysis and endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools find it challenging to monitor and protect devices at the firmware level, leading to an attractive security gap for attackers to exploit.
At the same time, we have also seen growth in the number of attacks against firmware where sensitive information like credentials and encryption keys are stored in memory. A recent survey commissioned by Microsoft of 1,000 security decision-makers found that 83 percent had experienced some level of firmware security incident, but only 29 percent are allocating resources to protect that critical layer. And according to March 2021 data from the National Vulnerability Database included in a presentation from the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) at the 2021 RSA, difficult-to-patch firmware attacks are continuing to rise. Microsoft’s Azure Defender for IoT team (formerly CyberX) recently announced alongside the Department of Homeland Security a series of more than 25 critical severity vulnerabilities in IoT and OT devices
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Enterprise Iot
Article | May 11, 2023
Driving digital transformation in manufacturing: Embracing seamless connectivity, data integration and risk-proof IoT security for enhanced efficiency, product quality, and innovation in industry 4.0.
Contents
1. Introduction to IoT Security in the Connected Era
1.1 Significance of IoT Security for Business Resilience
1.2 Current Scenario of IoT Security
2. Next-Gen Authentication and Authorization for IoT Devices
3. Secure Ecosystems for Businesses Through IoT Network Access Control
4. Quantum Cryptography: Fortifying IoT Data Protection
5. IoT Security Providers for Connectivity in Businesses
5.1 Armis
5.2 Mocana
5.3 Inside Secure
5.4 V5 Systems
5.5 Nozomi Networks
5.6 Dragos
5.7 Claroty
5.8 ForgeRock
5.9 Praetorian
5.10 Security Innovation
6. Key Takeaways
1. Introduction to IoT Security in the Connected Era
In the connected era, the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices has brought unparalleled convenience and efficiency to businesses and individuals alike. The interlinking of devices and their efficient networking is the need of the hour for businesses to function effectively with maximum productivity. However, IoT security has become paramount with the exponential growth of interconnected devices. Ensuring the security and integrity of these devices and the data they handle is crucial for businesses to safeguard their operations, protect customer privacy, and maintain trust in the digital ecosystem.
1.1 Significance of IoT Security for Business Resilience
IoT security in businesses encompasses a comprehensive approach to identifying, assessing, and mitigating potential vulnerabilities throughout the IoT ecosystem. This includes implementing robust authentication mechanisms, encryption protocols, and access controls to prevent unauthorized access. Monitoring and updating IoT devices to address emerging threats is essential to maintaining a robust security posture.
Business resilience requires staying proactive in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. Regular security assessments, vulnerability testing, and incident response planning are essential to identifying and addressing potential weaknesses in IoT devices before malicious actors can exploit them. This proactive approach enables organizations to respond to security incidents swiftly, minimize the impact of a breach, and recover operations more efficiently.
1.2 Current Scenario of IoT Security
IoT security requires the integration of cutting-edge technologies, such as AI and ML, to proactively detect and respond to cyber threats. Businesses can identify patterns, anomalies, and potential security risks by analyzing the vast amounts of data generated by IoT devices. Advanced security measures also involve securing communication channels and adopting secure coding practices to minimize the risk of data breaches or tampering. Correct and legitimate information in IoT security is crucial, as inadequate security measures can expose businesses to significant risks. Cyberattacks targeting IoT devices, such as botnets, ransomware, and data breaches, have already resulted in substantial financial losses and reputational damage for organizations worldwide. To stay ahead of malicious actors, businesses must prioritize ongoing security training, collaborate with industry experts, and adhere to established security standards.
2. Next-Gen Authentication and Authorization for IoT Devices
The future of IoT security relies on next-generation authentication and authorization mechanisms designed to address the unique challenges of IoT environments. Biometric and behavioral authentication techniques offer enhanced security by verifying user identity based on physical or behavioral characteristics, adding an extra layer of protection for IoT devices. Context-aware access control adapts permissions dynamically based on contextual factors such as device location and user behavior, ensuring secure access in dynamic IoT networks. Additionally, smart manufacturing leveraging blockchain technology provides immutable and decentralized identity management, mitigating the risk of identity fraud and enhancing trust in IoT ecosystems. Embracing these advanced authentication and authorization approaches allows businesses to fortify the security of their IoT devices and establish a resilient foundation for the connected future.
3. Secure Ecosystems for Businesses Through IoT Network Access Control
IoT network access control plays a pivotal role in ensuring the security and integrity of business ecosystems. With the proliferation of IoT devices, controlling and securing access to these interconnected devices becomes paramount. Implementing robust network access control mechanisms helps businesses establish secure network segmentation, granting specific access privileges based on roles and responsibilities. Segmenting IoT devices from critical systems can contain potential breaches, limiting the impact on the entire network. Moreover, secure device authorization is essential for vetting and authenticating IoT devices before granting network access. Advanced authentication mechanisms, such as two-factor or certificate-based authentication, provide an extra layer of protection, ensuring that only trusted devices can join the network. This fortifies the ecosystem against unauthorized or compromised devices, reducing the risk of data breaches and cyberattacks.
In the digital era, where data is a critical asset, network access control is not only a technical imperative but also a business necessity. Businesses must prioritize implementing these advanced access control measures to safeguard their ecosystems, protect sensitive data, and maintain customer trust. A secure IoT ecosystem fosters business resilience, allowing organizations to fully leverage the transformative potential of IoT while mitigating security risks effectively.
4. Quantum Cryptography: Fortifying IoT Data Protection
The technology is shifting towards quantum computing, which possesses superior processing capacity. It can readily circumvent existing cryptographic algorithms. Quantum cryptography is a secure method for encrypting data and assuring the highest level of security by providing only a single secret key to decrypt, only in the data's owner's possession. In contrast to traditional quantum computers, quantum computing's cryptography relies on physical rather than mathematical properties.
It is a completely impenetrable system; imitating or viewing any data protected by encoded encryption in a quantum state is impossible. It is also impervious to any quantum computing applications. Public key cryptography algorithms, which are highly secure and ensure data protection against any quantum computer cyberattack, provide this protection against any quantum computer cyberattack.
5. IoT Security Providers for Connectivity in Businesses
5.1 Armis
Armis provides the foremost asset intelligence platform on the market, designed to address the new threat landscape created by connected devices. Without an agent, it offers rich facts and context for device identification and classification, including manufacturer, model, IP and MAC addresses, OS, reputation, and usernames. The platform monitors device behavior and detects active vulnerabilities and threats in real-time. Armis provides reliable threat detection and response using premium threat intelligence feeds and device behavior insights. The Armis Threat Detection Engine quickly protects the environment by combining threat intelligence sources. Policy violations and threat detections can be enforced automatically or manually, allowing companies to disconnect or quarantine suspicious or malicious devices through network infrastructure or integrated security solutions. Armis Agentless Device Security Platform installs easily without network changes. It enhances infrastructure to protect assets. Its technology provides visibility, proactive threat detection, and effective cybersecurity management to protect vital assets and company activities.
5.2 Mocana
Mocanacyber security for the Internet of Things, operational technology, and vital infrastructure. Mocana's tightly integrated solutions assist businesses in mitigating the risk of a cyber-attack, adhering to industry standards, and safeguarding intellectual property by ensuring that devices and processes are trusted end-to-end, from device fabrication to deployment. DigiCert for Connected Devices offers a streamlined and efficient solution for seamless application integration and migration, eliminating the need for custom code across various systems. This approach enhances resilience, maintains continuous perimeter security, and increases agility in responding to vulnerabilities or attacks. Digital trust is at the core of every endpoint, securing and hardening devices in the field with plug-and-play applications. Immutable identity simplifies device discovery and identification, streamlining compliance audits and providing real-time oversight of the entire IoT environment. Secure boot processes, remote shutdown capabilities, and comprehensive visibility and control over network connections further enhance security.
5.3 Inside Secure
Inside Secureis a leading provider of security solutions for mobile and connected devices. They offer a comprehensive software portfolio, silicon IP, tools, and expertise to safeguard customers' transactions, content, applications, and communications. With a strong focus on security, the company delivers products with advanced technical capabilities that cover a wide range of security requirement levels. They serve various demanding markets, including network security for IoT, content & application protection, and mobile payment & banking. Inside Secure's technology plays a crucial role in protecting solutions for a diverse range of customers, including service providers, content distributors, security system integrators, device vendors, and semiconductor manufacturers. Their deep security expertise and experience allow them to deliver innovative and differentiated security solutions to address the evolving security challenges in the rapidly changing landscape of mobile and connected devices.
5.4 V5 Systems
V5 Systems a technology firm recognized for introducing the world’s inaugural edge computing platform designed specifically for outdoor environments. The company has established a comprehensive solution addressing outdoor security, power, and computing requirements. V5 Systems delivers advanced outdoor security solutions along with a versatile computing platform capable of supporting various third-party applications. Additionally, the innovative ongoing power platform developed by V5 Systems enables unparalleled computing capabilities in any outdoor setting. With a commitment to leading the charge in Industrial IoT technology advancements, V5 Systems is dedicated to ongoing innovation. While the company prioritizes its customers and partners, ensuring the delivery of products and services with the highest level of enterprise support and customer care; it is focused on fostering a safer, smarter world, empowering stakeholders.
5.5 Nozomi Networks
Nozomi Networks specializes in protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats, offering a unique platform that combines network and endpoint visibility, threat detection, and AI-powered analysis for faster and more effective incident response. To mitigate IoT data security challenges, Nozomi Networks recommends starting with the assumption that IoT devices are inherently insecure and each device can serve as a vulnerable entry point into the network and business processes. Key strategies to address IoT security challenges include network Segmentation by limiting connectivity of IoT devices and networks to the business network, Vulnerability Management and Cybersecurity Monitoring by Monitoring network traffic, which provides insight into device behavior and helps identify malicious events and zero-day attacks. It helps organizations identify all communicating assets on their networks, detect vulnerable OT and IoT assets, monitor IoT cybersecurity threats and process reliability.
5.6 Dragos
Dragoswitha global mission to safeguard civilization's industrial infrastructure, offers influential industrial cybersecurity technology through the Dragos Platform. This platform gives customers visibility into their ICS/OT assets, vulnerabilities, threats, and response actions. The strength of the Dragos Platform lies in its ability to incorporate Dragos's industry-leading OT threat intelligence and insights from the Dragos services team into the software. Additionally, Dragos adopts a community-focused approach, allowing customers access to the most extensive array of industrial organizations for collective defense and broad visibility. To ensure compliance with OT cybersecurity controls, Dragos provides industrial cybersecurity solutions tailored to meet cybersecurity control requirements, including NERC-CIP, TSA Pipeline, US Federal BOD, EU NIS, KSA OTCC, and more. Furthermore, Dragos WorldView Threat Intelligence provides situational awareness of adversary activity and vulnerabilities affecting industrial sectors, including adversary research, strategic intelligence reports and vulnerability analysis.
5.7 Claroty
Clarotyisa leading provider of industrial cybersecurity solutions, empowering organizations to secure cyber-physical systems across industrial, healthcare (IoMT), and enterprise environments, known as the Extended Internet of Things (XIoT). Their unified platform integrates with customers' existing infrastructure to offer a range of controls, including visibility, risk and vulnerability management, threat detection, and secure remote access. It offers Ongoing security and compliance posture management, including full asset inventory across the XIoT, A zero-trust security architecture critical for minimizing cyber risk in OT environments and Proactive threat detection and mitigation to address the difficulty of responding to evolving threats. With extensive experience in cyber risk management, Claroty provides robust solutions that cater to a wide range of industries, including electric, oil & gas, manufacturing, building automation systems, chemical, government, water, food & beverage, mining, transportation, and pharmaceutical.
5.8 ForgeRock
ForgeRock is a leading digital identity provider that offers modern and comprehensive IAM solutions for consumers, employees, and IoT devices. Their AI-powered identity platform enables organizations to achieve Zero Trust and Continuous Adaptive Risk and Trust Assessment (CARTA) security models quickly and efficiently across hybrid IT environments.ForgeRock helps organizations deliver Zero Trust and CARTA security by continuously identifying and remediating user access risks using AI-powered analytics. With ForgeRock Intelligent Access, organizations can build secure and dynamic user journeys without impacting IT resources or application performance. The platform allows authentication and authorization with context, such as user, device, behavior, and location. ForgeRock enables the infusion of modern identity into legacy systems and environments, applying Zero Trust principles across the organization. They provide free downloads and offer resources for organizations to learn more about their solutions and implement a robust zero-trust strategy.
5.9 Praetorian
Praetorian offers end-to-end Internet of Things product security evaluations and certifications, ensuring the security of IoT products from chip to cloud. Their solutions cover various technological domains, including embedded devices, firmware, wireless communications protocols, web and mobile applications, cloud services and APIs, and back-end network infrastructure. They have developed research-driven evaluation methodologies to address emerging security challenges based on the OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS). This approach allows for tiered pricing based on the comprehensiveness of the security review, accommodating different testing and budget requirements. They employ various techniques to uncover unknown vulnerabilities in their professional security evaluations, depending on the level of rigor required.
5.10 Security Innovation
Security is a reputable authority in software security, assisting organizations in building and deploying more secure software. The company specializes in software security, where traditional information security and business consultants often struggle. Security Innovation offers progressive training covering the full spectrum of IoT software assurance for builders, operators, and defenders. Security Innovation conducts IoT security testing for IoT and embedded systems to ensure the secure implementation of IoT software and firmware. They meticulously review connected devices' security threats and attack surfaces, examining physical, communication, infrastructure, and application levels. Their precision security testing focuses on high-risk areas that attackers are likely to target. IoT security testing outputs include security and functional objectives, identified attack vectors, and guidance on fixing vulnerabilities through mitigating controls.
6. Key Takeaways
Exploring the IoT security landscape in the era of connectivity is crucial as the Internet of Things continues to expand and impact various industries. As the number of interconnected devices surges, the IoT security landscape will become increasingly complex, with new threats and vulnerabilities constantly emerging. The need for advanced security measures and proactive cybersecurity strategies will be more critical than ever before. Innovations in device-based authentication and authorization mechanisms, such as biometric and behavioral authentication, as well as context-aware access control, will enhance the security of IoT ecosystems.
Furthermore, industry-wide collaboration and adopting security standards will be essential to building a resilient IoT security landscape. Manufacturers, developers, and stakeholders must prioritize security by design, ensuring that IoT devices are built with safety as a fundamental principle. Implementing secure development practices, conducting regular security audits, and establishing effective incident response plans will bolster IoT security.
Addressing security challenges becomes paramount as IoT devices become more interconnected and play a significant role in critical operations. With the growing adoption of IoT, a proactive approach to IoT security is essential to ensure the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data and maintain the trust of users and customers. By prioritizing IoT security and taking proactive measures, organizations can fully realize the benefits of connectivity while mitigating the risks associated with the ever-expanding IoT landscape.
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Security, IoT Security
Article | July 13, 2023
Find out the upcoming and established companies providing IoT security for businesses. These allow adopting best practices & make informed technology investment decisions, for secure performance.
IoT security helps implement strong authentication, encryption, and access controls for IoT devices, while regularly updating firmware and monitoring for threats, to ensure the security of interconnected systems and protect sensitive data in a business environment.
Here is a carefully curated list of 15 Top IoT security companies, providing security to IoT devices, thereby ensuring their privacy and integration.
1. Ordr Inc.
Ordr is a leading provider of connected device security solutions deployed in numerous organizations worldwide across industries like healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, retail, and government. Its platform addresses vital use cases such as healthcare and medical device security, real-time asset visibility, compliance, threat detection and response, IoT and OT security, Zero Trust segmentation, and NAC acceleration. Ordr has earned industry recognition as the KLAS Healthcare IoT Leader for three consecutive years and is featured in Gartner Market Guides for OT Security and Medical Device Security Solutions. Prominent investors, including Battery Ventures, Mayo Clinic Ventures, Kaiser Permanente Ventures, back Ordr. The SOC2-certified platform demonstrates its commitment to customer privacy and data security. Its comprehensive approach ensures organizations can protect patient care, maintain real-time asset inventory, detect threats, implement zero trust segmentation, accelerate NAC, and secure IT/OT environments.
2. Medigate by Claroty
Medigate is a solution that comprehensively addresses healthcare organizations' unique challenges. The need for a coordinated security strategy becomes paramount as the convergence of IT, OT, IoT, and physical systems continues in the clinical environment. Medigate provides the confidence to secure, manage, and gain insights from all devices connected to the network, including a wide range of medical devices with proprietary protocols and operational parameters. Protecting the network can be overwhelming, with thousands of devices from different manufacturers. Medigate's specialized approach ensures that security measures do not compromise device usability, eliminating the need for compromise between security and functionality. In terms of investors, Medigate has received backing from prominent organizations such as Siemens, BMWiVentures, and SoftBank. These partnerships reinforce Medigate's commitment to delivering innovative solutions that enhance cybersecurity and enable organizations to connect confidently.
3. Aryballe
One of the top IoT security companies, Aryballe combines biochemical sensors, advanced optics, and machine learning to create a unique digital olfaction solution. By mimicking the human sense of smell, Aryballe's objective is to collect, display, and analyze odor data, empowering companies to make more informed decisions. Aryballe's software suite complements this hardware, which offers user-friendly protocol and analysis tools. These tools enable R&D, quality, and manufacturing professionals to integrate digital odor data into their decision-making processes seamlessly. Aryballe's software and data solutions are particularly valuable to the automotive, food & beverage, consumer appliances, and flavor & fragrance industries. The odor displays and analysis provided by Aryballe's technology empower leaders in these sectors to make smarter business decisions. Additionally, Aryballe's digital olfaction solutions have applications for enhancing user experiences within the automotive and consumer appliance markets.
4. Timesys Corporation
Timesys is a leader and pioneer in the embedded software market, offering open-source software security, development tools, and engineering services. With a comprehensive end-to-end device security solution, it enables developers to implement strong security measures early in the design phase. It has extensive embedded development experience and serves a diverse customer base, including Global 500 companies in the medical, industrial, networking, aerospace, and consumer sectors. The company's global partner ecosystem comprises leading semiconductor manufacturers, board vendors, and distributors. Its security services include VigiShield Secure by Design, which focuses on integrating core security features into device designs, and Vigiles, a tool for monitoring and remediating vulnerabilities. Furthermore, it offers an embedded board farm for test automation and remote access infrastructure, facilitating collaborative software development and debugging processes.
5. QA Mentor
QA mentor is a one-stop solution for application and mobile app testing. It is an award-winning software by QA company headquartered in New York. With multiple certifications and a CMMI Level 3 SVC + SSD v1.3 appraisals, the company offers comprehensive software testing services to clients globally. QA Mentor serves various industries, including startups and Fortune 500 companies. Their unique selling points include customizable testing processes, flexible on-demand services, and economical pricing. They specialize in various QA services, such as test design and execution, mobile/browser compatibility testing, QA audit and process improvement, automation testing, performance testing, security testing, regression testing, crowdsourcing testing, and QA e-learning. With a state-of-the-art test lab, unique methodologies, and expertise in automation tools, QA Mentor stands out in the industry.
6. Mocana
Mocana is a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions for IoT, operational technology, and critical infrastructure. Their on-device cybersecurity software and lifecycle management platform enable manufacturers and industrial companies to build tamper-resistant self-defending systems. Mocana's integrated solutions help minimize the risk of cyber breaches, ensure compliance with industry standards, and protect intellectual property throughout the device lifecycle. Unlike traditional IT network security approaches, Mocana empowers devices to protect themselves and prevent malware installation. Their platform facilitates application development and updates, ensures device protection and hardening in the field, supports interoperability between legacy and new devices, and offers automated operations with centralized control.
7. Verimatrix
Verimatrix, one of the many IoT security companies, is a leading provider of people-centered security solutions that power the modern connected world. Their intuitive and frictionless security offerings protect digital content, applications, and devices across various industries. Major brands rely on Verimatrix to secure premium movies, live-streaming sports, sensitive financial and healthcare data, and mission-critical mobile applications. Verimatrix helps its customers deliver compelling content and experiences to millions of consumers worldwide by enabling trusted connections. Their solutions provide robust security and help partners accelerate market time, quickly scale their operations, safeguard valuable revenue streams, and attract new business opportunities. With a focus on plugging security holes, thwarting pirate and cyberattacks, and preserving revenue, Verimatrix plays a crucial role in protecting the digital ecosystem and ensuring the delivery of exceptional experiences in an unprotected digital world.
8. Keyfactor
Keyfactor is a trusted provider of identity-first security solutions that bring digital trust to the hyper-connected world. With a focus on machine and human identities, Keyfactor simplifies PKI, automates certificate lifecycle management, and secures every device, workload, and thing. By enabling organizations to establish and maintain digital trust at scale, Keyfactor helps them move quickly in a zero-trust environment. In the face of increasing cyber threats, Keyfactor addresses the challenges of securing 5G networks and communications, meeting evolving standards and scalability, and adapting to changing architectures. Keyfactor's flexible solutions can be deployed in various environments, including data centers, cloud, SaaS, or hybrid architectures. With a comprehensive PKI management platform, Keyfactor enables organizations to protect their networks and manage certificates efficiently.
9. Vdoo
Vdoo is a global leader in the product security space, offering a comprehensive platform for identifying and mitigating security issues. It is the only automated platform that provides end-to-end product security, helping organizations streamline their development and security processes while ensuring optimal product security. With Vdoo, development and security teams can efficiently address a wide range of security risks, including supply chain threats, configuration risks, standard compliance, and zero-day vulnerabilities. Vdoo's platform enables organizations to integrate security seamlessly into their DevOps workflows, automate compliance assurance, and fortify security across the software supply chain. By offering intelligent and automated security solutions from code to container to device, Vdoo empowers organizations to safeguard their software's integrity and protect against malicious activity.
10. CyberMDX
CyberMDX, a Forescout company is a leading provider of IoT security solutions focused on safeguarding healthcare delivery worldwide. Its cloud-based cybersecurity solutions support the advancement of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) by protecting connected medical devices. The CyberMDX solution offers comprehensive endpoint identification, vulnerability assessment, incident detection, response, and prevention capabilities. Deployed globally, CyberMDX seamlessly integrates with customers' existing environments through its scalable and agentless solution. It provides continuous, real-time discovery and visibility of all medical devices connected to clinical networks. Recognized as a representative vendor in the Gartner Market Guide for Medical Device Security Solutions, Forescout delivers robust cybersecurity capabilities for healthcare organizations. With its automated and customizable approach, Forescout ensures the security and integrity of medical devices and IoMT ecosystems.
11. Sepio
Among the many best IoT security companies, Sepio is a leading asset risk management platform that prioritizes asset existence over activity. Through its physical layer asset DNA profiling, Sepio offers customers actionable visibility, policy enforcement, and mitigation capabilities, empowering them to gain better control over all assets at scale. Regardless of whether the infrastructure is connected to IT, OT, or IoT, Sepio's trafficless monitoring ensures an asset-agnostic solution. Sepio's platform caters to various industries, including financial institutions, healthcare institutions, and critical infrastructures globally. The platform allows the discovery of both known and shadow assets, mitigates risks associated with uncontrolled assets, reduces hardware clutter, enforces asset policies, meets regulatory compliance, and seamlessly integrates with existing security tools. Sepio's asset risk management benefits extend to uncovering hidden asset risks, providing organizations with the necessary insights and tools to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses.
12. Nexusguard
Nexusguard, a provider of simplified DDoS protection solutions for both service providers and enterprises, provides a range of offerings, including cloud services, managed DDoS protection platforms, and professional training courses. It empowers organizations to effectively safeguard their networks and applications against DDoS attacks. For communications service providers (CSPs), Nexusguard offers managed cloud-based DDoS protection solutions that cover various aspects such as application protection, origin protection, edge protection, and DNS protection. These solutions ensure the secure operation of internet-facing websites, shield networks and systems from threats, scale up protection for internet uplinks and infrastructure, and keep DNS services up and running. Nexusguard's offerings also include the Nexusguard Bastions server, a purpose-built on premise solution for CSPs that seamlessly integrates the company's proprietary technologies and global cloud scrubbing capabilities into the CSP's environment.
13. IoTium
IoTium is a provider of secure, managed software-defined network infrastructure for industrial IoT applications. Its solution enables the secure connection of both legacy and greenfield mission-critical on-site machinery and automation systems to applications residing in data centers or the cloud. By offering zero-touch provisioning and eliminating complexities in scalable mass deployments, IoTium ensures seamless and secure connectivity at scale. IoTium's View Smart Building Cloud addresses these security risks by implementing a Zero-trust Network Architecture (ZTNA). This includes secure tunnels with end-to-end encryption, certificate-based device authentication, and secure remote access with multi-factor authentication. It offers centralized management and visibility of building networks and OT devices, along with the ability to deploy edge applications for real-time processing and optimizations.
14. SCADAfence
SCADAfence, one of the top IoT security solution companies is a global technology leader specializing in OT and IoT cybersecurity. It offers a comprehensive suite of industrial cybersecurity products designed to provide robust protection for large-scale networks. Its portfolio includes top-notch network monitoring, asset discovery, governance, remote access, and IoT device security solutions. By leveraging SCADAfence's solutions, organizations operating in critical infrastructure, manufacturing, and building management industries can ensure secure, reliable, and efficient operations. SCADAfence's solutions cater to various industries, such as manufacturing, critical infrastructure, and building management. With a commitment to providing valuable resources and insights, it maintains an informative blog and offers opportunities for customers to request a live demonstration of its solutions
15. Xage Security
Xage is a global leader in real-world security, offering zero-trust solutions for industrial cybersecurity. Its flagship product, the Xage Fabric, simplifies and accelerates digital operations across OT, IT, and cloud environments. By adopting a unified approach based on zero-trust principles, Xage enables secure remote access and identity-driven access management for operational assets. Its solution eliminates the vulnerabilities associated with traditional remote access methods and provides granular access control down to individual assets, reducing the attack surface area. With Xage, organizations benefit from simplified and friction-free remote access, strengthened cybersecurity with advanced controls like multi-factor authentication, and full visibility and control of remote sessions. Its solutions also enable secure session collaboration, protect file transfers, and mitigate malware and anomalous behaviors. With Xage, organizations can fortify their cybersecurity infrastructure, enhance productivity, and meet evolving security challenges.
Conclusion
To stay ahead in IoT security market ,it is important to keep an eye on prominent companies leading the way in this field. These companies offer innovative solutions and expertise to address the evolving challenges of IoT security. By following their advancements and leveraging their technologies, businesses can enhance their defenses and mitigate risks in the ever-expanding IoT landscape.
Follow the list of top 15 companies,provided above to strengthen cybersecurity with advanced controls, end-to-end encryption, certificate-based device authentication, secure remote access with multi-factor authentication, among others.They empower organizations to safeguard their software's integrity and protect against malicious activity. The companies play a crucial role in protecting the digital ecosystem and ensuring the delivery of exceptional experiences,analysing the IoT statistics, in an unprotected digital world.
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Enterprise Iot
Article | July 20, 2023
Enhancing IoT security: Unveiling the significance of penetration testing in securing real-world IoT applications, identifying vulnerabilities, and mitigating risks for the protection of IoT data.
Contents
1. Introduction to IoT Application Security and Penetration Testing
1.1 Vulnerabilities of IoT application security
2. Fundamentals of IoT Penetration Testing
3. Considerations for IoT Penetration Testing
4. Methodologies and Approaches for IoT Penetration Testing
5. Takeaway
1. Introduction to IoT Application Security and Penetration Testing
Securing real-world IoT applications is paramount as the Internet of Things (IoT) permeates various aspects of any individuals lives. Penetration testing serves as a vital tool in identifying vulnerabilities and assessing the resilience of IoT systems against cyber threats. In this article, delve into the significance of penetration testing in securing IoT applications, exploring its role in identifying weaknesses, mitigating risks, and ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of IoT data.
1.1 Vulnerabilities of IoT application security
Expanded Attack Surface: The proliferation of IoT devices has dramatically expanded the attack surface, increasing the potential for security breach enterprise networks. With billions of interconnected devices, each presenting a potential vulnerability, the risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, and other security incidents is significantly heightened.
Risks: IoT devices often possess limited computational resources, making them susceptible to software and firmware vulnerabilities. Their resource-constrained nature can limit the implementation of robust security measures, leaving them exposed to potential attacks. Furthermore, a significant concern is the prevalence of default or weak credentials on these devices.
Diverse Threat Landscape: The threat landscape surrounding IoT devices is extensive and ever-evolving. It encompasses various attack vectors, including malware, botnets, DDoS attacks, physical tampering, and data privacy breaches. One notable example is the Mirai botnet, which compromised a vast number of IoT devices to launch large-scale DDoS attacks, leading to significant disruptions in internet services. In addition, IoT devices can serve as entry points for infiltrating larger networks and systems, allowing attackers to pivot and gain control over critical infrastructure.
Botnets: IoT devices can be infected with malware and become part of a botnet, which can be used for various malicious activities. Botnets are often utilized to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, where a network of compromised devices overwhelms a target system with traffic, causing it to become inaccessible.
Ransomware: IoT devices are also vulnerable to ransomware attacks. Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts the data on a device and demands a ransom payment in exchange for the decryption key.
Data Breaches: IoT devices can be targeted to steal sensitive data, including personal identifiable information (PII) or financial data. Due to inadequate security measures, such as weak authentication or unencrypted data transmissions, attackers can exploit IoT devices as entry points to gain unauthorized access to networks and systems.
2. Fundamentals of IoT Penetration Testing
IoT penetration testing, also known as ethical hacking or security assessment, is a critical process for testing and identifying vulnerabilities and assessing the security posture of IoT devices, networks, and applications. It involves simulating real-world attacks to uncover weaknesses and provide insights for remediation.
IoT penetration testing involves identifying vulnerabilities, conducting targeted attacks, and evaluating the effectiveness of security controls in IoT systems. IoT pen-testing aims to proactively identify and address potential weaknesses that malicious actors could exploit. The methodology of IoT pen-testing typically follows a structured approach. It begins with attack surface mapping, which involves identifying all potential entry and exit points that an attacker could leverage within the IoT solution. This step is crucial for understanding the system's architecture and potential vulnerabilities. Pentesters spend considerable time gathering information, studying device documentation, analyzing communication protocols, and assessing the device's hardware and software components.
Once the attack surface is mapped, the following steps involve vulnerability identification and exploitation. This includes conducting security tests, exploiting vulnerabilities, and evaluating the system's resilience to attacks. The penetration testers simulate real-world attack scenarios to assess the device's ability to withstand threats. After exploitation, post-exploitation activities are performed to determine the extent of the compromise and evaluate the potential impact on the device and the overall IoT ecosystem. Finally, a detailed technical report summarizes the findings, vulnerabilities, and recommendations for improving the device's security.
3. Considerations for IoT Penetration Testing
Fuzzing and Protocol Reverse Engineering: Employ advanced techniques like fuzzing to identify vulnerabilities in communication protocols used by IoT devices. Fuzzing involves sending malformed or unexpected data to inputs and analyzing the system's response to uncover potential weaknesses.
Radio Frequency (RF) Analysis: Perform RF analysis to identify weaknesses in wireless communication between IoT devices. This includes analyzing RF signals, monitoring wireless communication protocols, and identifying potential vulnerabilities such as replay attacks or unauthorized signal interception.
Red Team Exercises: Conduct red team exercises to simulate real-world attack scenarios and evaluate the organization's detection and response capabilities. Red team exercises go beyond traditional penetration testing by emulating the actions and techniques of skilled attackers. This helps uncover any weaknesses in incident response, detection, and mitigation processes related to IoT security incidents.
Embedded System Analysis: Gain expertise in analyzing and reverse engineering embedded systems commonly found in IoT devices. This includes understanding microcontrollers, debugging interfaces, firmware extraction techniques, and analyzing the device's hardware architecture. Embedded system analysis helps identify low-level vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors.
Zero-Day Vulnerability Research: Engage in zero-day vulnerability research to identify previously unknown vulnerabilities in IoT devices and associated software. This requires advanced skills in vulnerability discovery, exploit development, and the ability to responsibly disclose vulnerabilities to vendors.
4. Methodologies and Approaches for IoT Penetration Testing
Mobile, Web and Cloud Application Testing
Mobile, web, and cloud application testing is integral to IoT penetration testing, focusing on assessing the security of applications that interact with IoT devices. This methodology involves various steps to evaluate the security of these applications across different platforms. For mobile applications, the methodology includes reviewing the binary code, conducting reverse engineering to understand the inner workings, and analyzing the file system structure. Sensitive information such as keys and certificates embedded within the mobile app are scrutinized for secure storage and handling. The assessment extends to examining the application's resistance to unauthorized modifications. In web applications, the testing covers common vulnerabilities like cross-site scripting (XSS), insecure direct object references (IDOR), and injection attacks. Application reversing techniques are employed to gain insights into the application's logic and potential vulnerabilities. Additionally, hardcoded API keys are identified and assessed for their security implications.
Firmware Penetration Testing
Firmware penetration testing is a crucial aspect of IoT security assessments, aiming to identify vulnerabilities within the firmware running on IoT devices. The methodology encompasses multiple steps to uncover weaknesses. The process begins with binary analysis, dissecting the firmware to understand its structure, functionality, and potential vulnerabilities. Reverse engineering techniques are applied to gain deeper insights into the firmware's inner workings, exposing potential weaknesses like hardcoded credentials or hidden functionality. The analysis extends to examining different file systems used in the firmware and evaluating their configurations and permissions. Sensitive keys, certificates, and cryptographic material embedded within the firmware are scrutinized for secure generation, storage, and utilization. Additionally, the resistance of the firmware to unauthorized modification is assessed, including integrity checks, secure boot mechanisms, and firmware update processes.
IoT Device Hardware Pentest
IoT device hardware penetration testing involves a systematic methodology to assess the security of IoT devices at the hardware level. This comprehensive approach aims to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses that attackers could exploit. The methodology includes analyzing internal communication protocols like UART, I2C, and SPI to understand potential attack vectors. Open ports are examined to evaluate the security controls and risks associated with communication interfaces. The JTAG debugging interface is explored to gain low-level access and assess the device's resistance to unauthorized access. Extracting firmware from EEPROM or FLASH memory allows testers to analyze the code, configurations, and security controls. Physical tampering attempts are made to evaluate the effectiveness of the device's physical security measures.
5. Takeaway
Penetration testing is crucial in securing real-world IoT applications, enabling organizations to identify vulnerabilities and mitigate risks effectively. By conducting comprehensive and regular penetration tests, organizations can proactively identify and address security weaknesses, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of IoT data. With the ever-growing threat landscape and increasing reliance on IoT technologies, penetration testing has become indispensable to safeguard IoT applications and protect against potential cyber-attacks.
Several key factors will shape the future of IoT penetration testing. First, the increasing complexity of IoT systems will require testing methodologies to adapt and assess intricate architectures, diverse protocols, and a wide range of devices. Second, there will be a greater emphasis on security by design, with penetration testing focusing on verifying secure coding practices, robust access controls, and secure communication protocols. Third, supply chain security will become crucial, necessitating penetration testing to assess the security measures implemented by vendors, third-party components, and firmware updates. Fourth, integrating IoT penetration testing with DevSecOps practices will ensure continuous monitoring and improvement of IoT system security. Lastly, as attackers become more sophisticated, future IoT penetration testing methodologies will need to keep pace with evolving IoT-specific attack techniques. By embracing these advancements, IoT penetration testing will play a vital role in ensuring the security and privacy of IoT deployments.
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