01732 759725 18 Securing IoT Deployments: The Case for Private Networks A guide to enhancing security, efficiency and scalability The Cyber Threat Landscape for IoT Deployments As the adoption of IoT devices grows, so do the associated cybersecurity risks. According to the SonicWall Cyber Security report, there was a 107% increase in attacks targeting IoT devices in 2024. We recently conducted a live experiment, ‘One Hour Under Attack’. The goal was to assess how quickly an exposed IoT device would face intrusion attempts when connected to the public internet. In just sixty minutes, the device recorded 2,266 attacks from 120 different sources! This underscores the reality that any device left exposed and visible on the public internet is a target, with IoT devices in particular providing cybercriminals with a significant attack surface. Hackers now use AI and machine learning techniques to rapidly identify and exploit common vulnerabilities in devices, such as default passwords, open ports and unpatched firmware often before organisations are aware of any threat. The consequences of a security breach can be severe, with successfully executed attacks e.g. DDoS, ransomware and device hijacking often leading to operational disruptions, loss of trust, financial costs, and legal repercussions. It is essential to identify these vulnerabilities and adopt effective strategies to protect IoT networks from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. The Challenge of Security and Management IoT devices offer unparalleled benefits and are revolutionising how businesses operate – enabling greater efficiency, costs savings and lower environmental impact through real time monitoring, predictive maintenance and optimised resource management. However, with the rapid expansion of IoT networks comes an increased need for robust security measures. As businesses deploy more connected devices, they face significant challenges in securing these networks from cyber threats, with the number and variety of attacks increasing exponentially. Ultimately, any IoT device is only as secure as the network that it operates over! Scalability is another concern. For large-scale IoT projects, traditional methods of network deployment, such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), often lead to configuration becoming increasingly time-consuming and complex, with IT teams struggling to manage a sprawling network of interconnected devices. To address these challenges, ensure network security and data privacy, and manage the scalability of IoT deployments, COVER STORY
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