Preventing Botnet Attacks in Connected IoT Ecosystems

As IoT systems permeate modern society, botnet activities have grown exponentially. Because each device represents a potential entry point into the network, the risk and severity of attacks multiply as the interconnected ecosystem expands.

The emergence of AI-enabled systems amplifies the ability to orchestrate complex attacks with greater ease. Understanding the scope and risk factors behind threats is the first step in preventing their occurrence.

The Broadening Attack Surface of IoT Devices

The IoT ecosystem comprises a rapidly increasing array of connected devices, from wearables and smart home appliances to self-driving vehicles and autonomous warehouses. There were more than 15 billion IoT connections as of 2023, with several billion more expected in the coming years.

For the most part, these ecosystems have existed within their respective silos, but all that is changing as advances in interconnectivity enable systems to connect and communicate more seamlessly. These developments are undoubtedly exciting but raise concern about the expanding attack surface.

Imagine if a threat actor accessed a user’s Fitbit and used it as an entry point to their healthcare provider’s Internet of Medical Things setup, or if an automated garage sensor was hacked to compromise a car. This is just from an individual standpoint. The potential scope of damage from commercial-level attacks is a growing source of worry in just about every industry leveraging digital technologies.

IoT Systems as a Botnet Attack Vector

Botnet attacks increasingly target IoT systems, enlisting each compromised device into the bot network and coordinating large-scale cyberattacks. Cybercriminals use these IoT botnets for distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, credentials theft, account takeovers, and other malicious activities.

According to Nokia’s 2023 threat intelligence report, 40% of all DDoS traffic comes from hacked IoT bots. Over 800,000 new infected systems have been recruited into botnet-driven DDoS incursion attempts in the past year alone.

What Makes IoT Susceptible to Botnet Attacks?

As the vulnerability landscape for IoT systems continues to evolve, new threats emerge daily, underscoring the need for enhanced vigilance and cybersecurity practices. One major susceptibility of IoT devices is their noted lack of robust internal security measures.

The rapid advancement of AI and machine learning systems has propelled the mass manufacture of various technologies with shared connectivity and remote control capabilities. A few years ago, this function was a way for IT professionals to set their products apart — today, it’s more or less a standard.

Adoption rates have also been on the uptrend, with a recent study showing people are more likely to purchase a product if it has IoT interconnectivity features. Unfortunately, producing these items commercially can lead to manufacturers prioritizing cost and functionality over security.

User Oversights 

In every circumstance, IoT users are jointly responsible for the security of their devices. For example, vulnerabilities associated with failing to use a strong password are directly the device owner’s fault. The more systems they add to the network, the more tasking it seems to follow simple best practices for each one. Hence, individuals and businesses may get lazy over time and neglect security measures.

The same might apply to intrusions through successful social engineering attacks, such as phishing emails. If a user neglects to follow security guidelines regarding clicking suspicious links, they could be liable for the resulting damage.

Unpatched Firmware

Vulnerabilities abound in IoT systems with outdated security protocols. Patches can address these issues, but they are only effective when installed as soon as the device manufacturer releases them.

Insecure Communication Protocols

IoT devices use a range of communication technologies working at varying transmission ranges, making it challenging to implement extensive security protocols. For example, a lack of encryption on any one of these connections places the entire ecosystem at risk of a botnet takeover.

Securing IoT Devices Amid Growing Botnet Attack Risks

The best practices for safeguarding the integrity of IoT connections and data transfer set the foundation for robust security models in a rapidly expanding ecosystem.

Network Segmentation

Segmenting the IoT network introduces granular policy control to the setup and isolating net traffic. Creating smaller subnets decreases the attack surface and restricts any damage caused to that segment, preventing the issue from spreading. Organizations also use segmentation to localize technical faults and enhance security resilience through zero-trust architecture.

Vendor Selection 

Like most consumer products, cheaper isn't always better when it comes to IoT devices. The craze around commercial AI-enabled systems can lead to people buying interconnected items from just any seller.

In the past, global regulations regarding AI devices have been lacking. Recent advances in ISO 42001 — the world’s first AI standards framework — are driving industry-wide transformations. These standards will be vital to ensuring a comprehensive and compliant IoT network application. Soon, purchase recommendations will revolve around products that meet the set criteria.

Regular Software Updates

The value of regularly updating firmware and installing the latest security patches cannot be overstated. In addition to defending against known vulnerabilities, this practice contributes to a proactive cybersecurity culture that individuals and organizations can easily implement.

For corporate IoT ecosystems, this approach should include a patch management process and a specific person responsible for monitoring the release of new updates. It’s also important to test these patches in a non-production environment before deploying them to ensure they work with live systems.

Robust Authentication Protocols

Strengthening passwords and authentication is essential to keeping out unauthorized access in IoT settings. General guidelines recommend passwords be 16 characters long with a mix of alphabetical, numeric, uppercase, lowercase, and special symbols. Despite this being the industry standard for years, around 45% of Americans still use an eight character or lower passphrase.

Advanced Measures 

Security measures have evolved through the years, though not as quickly as the threats they counter. Employing these protocols is essential to maintaining a robust posture. A good example is continuous monitoring systems with integrated intrusion detection capabilities. This allows the network to identify real-time attacks and immediately implement countermeasures.

Another example of an advanced security method is penetration testing. Cybercriminals often use command injection attacks on IoT infrastructure, and a robust testing program is one of the most effective ways to minimize exposure. These simulations can reveal command and code weaknesses and application flaws that make interconnected systems vulnerable.

Prevent Botnet Attacks in Increasingly Connected IoT Ecosystems

IoT devices are a defining part of the digital age and will likely be significant in the next stages of technology development across most industries. Increased accessibility to AI-enabled gadgets will drive this revolution, bringing a growing risk of botnet attacks. It would be a grave mistake to advance on adopting these innovations without a battle-tested cybersecurity framework safeguarding individual connections and their parent ecosystems.