As we become more reliant on connected devices to manage our businesses, homes and lives, cybersecurity has risen to the top of many peoples’ priorities. However, the kind of threat that IoT devices are exposed to are vastly different from those that are encountered on traditional computers. They require a new set of methods and tools to defend against them.
It’s not surprising that malware attacks on IoT devices are increasing. Each type of device has its own operating system software, functionality, and features. A lack of standard software could make it difficult to develop security tools for multiple devices.
In 2016, threat actors employed an ingenuous hack on IoT devices to create one of the largest botnet attacks in history that shook up the Internet and making websites like The New York Times, Brian Krebs’s site, and French web host OVH unavailable for hours. The attackers scanned the Internet to discover default usernames and passwords for IoT devices. They then gathered an army of these users to launch the DDoS attacks.
IoT and antiviruses play a crucial role in protecting against these kinds of threats. However, this type of security software must increase its vigilance to include monitoring the way IoT devices communicate with each other as well as the external world, and maintaining secure password practices, two-factor authentication and up-to-date patching. These measures, when paired with other security tools to protect against IoT threats, provide an effective security measure.