New research revealed that 86% of IT and security leaders believe their organization needs to improve its awareness of internet of things (IoT) threats, according to Trend Micro.
Connected devices are increasingly being used as gateways to the corporate networks. By compromising these devices, attackers can gain access to the greater corporate network, where they are then able to conduct even more damaging attacks.
In a survey carried out by Vanson Bourne, 1,150 IT and security decision makers across the US, UK, France, Germany and Japan revealed that the majority of participating organizations lack an understanding of cybersecurity in relation to the deployment of IoT projects. Survey participants held either C-level or management positions in companies across many sectors, including retail, media and construction.
“A common theme in cyberattacks today is that many are driven by a lack of security awareness, and this is accentuated with IoT security,” said Kevin Simzer, chief operating officer for Trend Micro in a press release.
“It’s a good first step to see that IT leaders recognize awareness levels need to rise across the organization. We recommend business leaders clearly acknowledge the IoT security challenges affecting their company, understand where their security requirements, and invest accordingly to make their security goals a reality.”
Despite an awareness that 59% of IoT attacks target corporate office devices, more than half of the participants said they have not yet identified the key capabilities that should be prioritized in their security solutions. Also, 37% claimed they’re not always able to define their security needs before implementing IoT solutions, according to the survey.
Organizations are exposed to damaging cyber-attacks stemming from this lack of security awareness in IoT, according to Trend Micro, given that manufacturing and the supply chain are next in line for the types of IoT devices that are most frequently targeted.
To mitigate the risks of cyber-attacks resulting from compromised IoT, survey participants said they have a need for vulnerability management solutions and tools that monitor networks for anomalous behavior. Trend Micro recommends a strong network defense approach to ensure IoT devices do not add security risk at any part of a corporate network.