How do you protect your IoT and smart device online channels from cyberattacks and privacy breaches?

1 Choose reliable and reputable devices

Not all IoT and smart devices are created equal. Some may have poor security features, outdated software, or hidden backdoors that can expose your online channels to hackers. Therefore, it is important to choose devices from reliable and reputable manufacturers or vendors, who can provide regular updates, patches, and support for their products. You should also check the reviews, ratings, and certifications of the devices before buying or installing them, and avoid devices that have known or reported security issues.

2 Encrypt and segment your data

One of the main goals of cyberattacks and privacy breaches is to steal or manipulate your data, which can have serious consequences for your online channels, such as losing customers, revenue, or reputation. To prevent this, you should encrypt your data, both in transit and at rest, using strong encryption methods and protocols. Encryption can make your data unreadable and useless for hackers, even if they manage to access your devices or networks. You should also segment your data, which means dividing it into separate and isolated sections or layers, based on its sensitivity, function, or access level. Segmentation can limit the impact of a breach, as hackers can only access a portion of your data, not the whole.

3 Implement strong authentication and authorization

Another way to protect your IoT and smart device online channels from cyberattacks and privacy breaches is to implement strong authentication and authorization mechanisms. Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user or device that tries to access your online channels, while authorization is the process of granting or denying access based on predefined rules or policies. You should use strong passwords, multifactor authentication, biometric authentication, or digital certificates to authenticate your users and devices, and avoid using default or shared credentials. You should also use role-based access control, least-privilege principle, or whitelisting to authorize your users and devices, and restrict their access to the minimum necessary.

4 Monitor and audit your devices and networks

Even if you have implemented the above measures, you should not assume that your IoT and smart device online channels are completely safe from cyberattacks and privacy breaches. You should constantly monitor and audit your devices and networks, using tools such as firewalls, antivirus software, intrusion detection and prevention systems, or security information and event management systems. These tools can help you detect and respond to any suspicious or malicious activities, such as unauthorized access, data leakage, or device malfunction. You should also keep a record of your device inventory, configuration, and activity logs, and review them regularly for any anomalies or inconsistencies.

5 Educate and train your staff and customers

Finally, you should educate and train your staff and customers about the risks and best practices of using IoT and smart devices for online channels. Your staff and customers are the ones who interact with your devices and data on a daily basis, and they can be the weakest link or the strongest asset in your security strategy. You should provide them with clear and updated guidelines, policies, and procedures on how to use, manage, and protect your devices and data. You should also conduct regular training sessions, workshops, or simulations to raise their awareness, skills, and knowledge on cybersecurity and privacy issues.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?