In continued support of our mission to cultivate a cybersecurity renaissance that will improve the resiliency of our nation’s 16 critical infrastructure sectors, defend our democratic institutions, and empower generations of cybersecurity leaders, ICIT asked some of the brightest minds in national security, cybersecurity, and technology to author essays communicating their perspective. Our goal is to share their knowledge and insights with our community to shed light on solutions to the technology, policy, and human challenges facing the cybersecurity community. Our hope is that their words will motivate, educate, and inspire you to take on the challenges facing your organizations.
Essay Authored by Pete Slade, ICIT Fellow and ThreatWarrior Founder and Chief Scientist There is no denying it: smart technology has penetrated almost every aspect of modern existence. From virtual assistants and self-driving cars to security cameras and smart vending machines, our homes and offices are filled with more internet-connected devices than ever. However, there is an often-overlooked risk involved with widely and rapidly adopting these technologies: the additional attack vectors they open to cybercriminals.
IoT devices are often not designed with security in mind. They are versatile, yet vulnerable. Built with limited security controls, these devices are commonly targeted by cybercriminals and used to launch attacks on other parts of the networks connected to them. A single threat to any part of the system can compromise the entire network.
Securing the IoT is a challenging task that requires large-scale collaboration and effort, but it must be done. Cybersecurity can no longer be an afterthought. You must harden your defenses with the mindset that the wellbeing of your organization is at stake. Because it is. In this ICIT Fellow Perspective essay, Pete Slade (ICIT Fellow and ThreatWarrior Founder and Chief Scientist) details:
Threats to the Internet of Things
Why IoT Devices Pose Such a Threat
IoT Attack Vectors
The Necessity of Starting Security at the Manufacturing Level
The Inevitability of Attack and the Conundrum of Liability
How Legacy Cybersecurity is Insufficient to Secure the Modern Enterprise
Strategies to Secure the Internet of Things
Download the Full Essay