[BreachExchange] Internet of Things: How Cybersecurity Will Change

[Audrey McNeil]

https://www.cso.com.au/article/634406/internet-
things-how-cybersecurity-will-change/

The Internet of Things has seen rapid development in the past few years.
The rate of digitisation has caused as much optimism as it has fear. The
explanation for this is simple, with the number of connected devices
estimated to reach 30 billion by 2020, the chance of a massive hacking
scheme has risen exponentially. The Internet of Things brings with it many
possibilities that can completely revolutionise our world and how we
interact with it. It brings our profiles to all areas of our lives and
gives us access to all of our information whenever we want it or wherever
we are.

The Internet of Things is definitely making life better for us as it
prevents losses of information and keeps our material goods secure. The
ability to use our phones to control our homes and our security is enough
to call the recent technological revolution a win. However, even though
these advancements make our lives much better, they also have the potential
to flip them upside down if the proper precautions are not taken. The
recent expansion of the internet and accessibility to people all across the
world will not only increase how much exposure there is on the internet but
it will also increase the number of exploitation access points across the
globe.

As we've seen with the recent hacking expeditions against major retailers,
the vulnerability of devices on the internet is still at a level that
creates uncertainty in our everyday lives. There are also a number of
attacks that go unreported as the loss of information at the hands of
malevolent people is a constant pressure. The Internet of Things, and it's
ultimate goal, is an evergreen pursuit that has its fair share of traps
hidden in the dark.

Cyber security, such as it is, has come into the limelight the last few
years as hacking becomes a more popular pursuit amongst the criminals of
this world. The increase in volume of attacks, along with the proficiency,
means that everyday people have to go out into the world prepared to deal
with a personal cyber attack. The amount of hacking software is increasing
at an alarming rate and has many companies worried about the safety of
their information and intranet.

Traditional hacking methods, such as spyware and ransomware, are becoming
more common as the internet is accessed by more and more people. These
hackers are becoming deft at stealing information and using social exploits
against individuals. The rate alone is enough for cyber security companies
to panic and should be of the utmost concern to everyday people.
Individuals must now educate themselves, and others, on the best practices
and uses of their devices, software, and email.

This is ultimately the greatest change that the Internet of Things brings.
It requires all people to become, not only proficient, but knowledgeable of
electronic systems and their safety precautions. Everyone must know how to
encrypt a file or secure an ethernet access point. Everyone must keep their
software up-to-date and their hardware drivers current. We must all know
how to spot phishing attempts and ransomware links. We must also know how
to browse the web and which websites to trust.

Cyber security threats are far and wide and can reach us on every device
that is connected to the internet. Cameras that are connected to the phone
via an internet connection can be hacked into and used to spy on you.
Wifi-enabled cars can be hacked and information can be stolen from them
such as addresses and phone numbers. This is not to strike fear into the
hearts of people but rather to encourage an understanding of how cyber
security works.

We must be ready to fight against social exploits like spam callers and
robocallers. We have to be careful with what we put into our PCs. A common
exploit for many years was dropping a USB stick in front of an office
building and hoping that an employee would pick it up and put it into their
computer. Once this was accomplished the virus would load and would start
to steal information immediately. Now that we are in the Internet of Things
we must be extra cautious as every misstep furthers the possibility that we
are hacked. Diligence and education will take us very far as a people and
becoming knowledgeable is the best way to fight for freedom. If we let fear
halt our progress then we have failed ourselves and everyone we know.
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