Is Your IoT Security Strategy Scalable?

Internet of Things (IoT) security is an unavoidable conversation. Attacks against connected devices keep rising and will only become more threatening as networks grow in scale and variety. 

While many businesses already recognize the need for better protection, the importance of a scalable IoT security strategy is easier to overlook.

Why a Scalable IoT Security Strategy Is Necessary

IoT security cannot be a one-time fix. The IoT itself is scaling up quickly—there were 16.6 billion active connections by the end of 2023, and 51 percent of adopters are planning to increase these investments. 

Any cybersecurity strategy that does not showcase similar growth will soon become insufficient.

Security scalability is about more than just staying on top of an expanding attack surface. The sheer number of connections aside, IoT solutions vary widely in their communications protocols and software support.

Consequently, new systems may be incompatible with old cybersecurity measures, leading to unaddressed vulnerabilities.

It’s also worth noting that cybercrime often scales faster than businesses do. There were over 112 million IoT attacks in 2022 alone, representing an 87 percent year-over-year increase. Cybercriminals also change their methods frequently, requiring similar adaptability on the security front to keep up.

Compounding the issue is the fact that IT workforces are facing rising workloads but limited staff. Already overburdened security workers don’t have the time to rethink their entire IoT security strategy every time smart networks expand. 

The only way to remain secure is to ensure protections are easily scalable to begin with.

How to Build a Scalable IoT Security Strategy

Any organization using or planning to use IoT systems needs a scalable IoT security strategy. Here are five key measures to build such a program.

#1: Ensure Compatibility When Selecting Devices

The first step in scalable IoT security is to consider compatibility when choosing new devices for the business. 

IT leaders should already ensure interoperability in terms of communications protocols, but the support search shouldn’t end at inter-device connections. They should also make sure any new items fit within their existing strategy.

Ensuring everything has basic controls like multifactor authentication and secure over-the-air updates is a good start. Considering how 98 perent of all IoT traffic is unencrypted, it’s also important to choose devices that support the same encryption standards. 

Administrators should also double-check compatibility with third-party security software and deny incompatible endpoints.

#2: Build a Cloud-Based Asset Inventory

IoT security is only possible with full transparency over all the connections within a network. Consequently, a scalable cybersecurity solution needs an equally scalable asset inventory. 

Organizations can’t reasonably keep up with these records manually — 63 percent of security professionals are already experiencing burnout from high workloads — so the cloud is the answer.

Cloud-based solutions are scalable by design, making it easy to grow or shrink inventory records as companies install or offload new devices. 

IT managers can also use automated network discovery tools to update inventories automatically. Doing so will ensure the team always has an updated picture of their IoT endpoints, making it easier to spot and fix vulnerabilities.

#3: Implement Zero-Trust Controls

Zero-trust architecture is another key piece of scalable IoT security. IoT networks are too vast, complex, and fast-changing for conventional approaches to catch every potential threat. 

The possibility of third-party exposures heightens these risks, especially because 37 percent of businesses today do not even track these.

A zero-trust approach doesn’t wait for something to appear suspicious, which would be difficult in such a complex environment. Instead, it treats every connection and request for data as a risk, verifying everything at every step. 

While it may slow some operations, implementing such a system makes it much easier to catch easily missable threats in a big IoT network.

#4: Automate Routine Processes

Maintaining zero-trust policies and reviewing IoT asset inventories is time-consuming. It’s far too much for overworked IT workers to handle manually.

Consequently, organizations should automate as much as possible to ensure they can remain productive and secure while IoT investments surge.

Some easily automatable processes include detecting new connections, updating software, and scanning for malware. IT teams should also consider using an automated network monitoring solution, especially if it offers automatic breach detection and containment. 

Such tools save $2.22 million on average by stopping attacks before they cause too much damage.

#5: Pen Test Regularly

A scalable IoT security strategy needs regular review to keep up with developing attack trends. While security departments typically operate in two siloed teams, combining the defense and offense sides leads to better protection. 

These “purple team” approaches let organizations identify threats earlier and update their defenses before it’s too late.

This collaboration between threat-hunting and response teams should involve penetration testing. 

Regularly attempting to break into an IoT network based on the latest methods will reveal vulnerabilities security professionals may have missed otherwise. Automated pen testing tools provide an additional layer of scalability.

IoT Security Must Be Scalable

The IoT and cybercrime are fast-growing fields. Consequently, IoT security must be just as quick and adaptable.

Building a scalable IoT cybersecurity strategy is not easy, but it is important. Businesses must recognize the need to revamp their network protections before a cybercriminal takes advantage of current vulnerabilities.