At DYNICS, our top motto is “Industrial IoT Done Right.” Why? Industrial IoT (IIoT) is unlocking unprecedented opportunities for manufacturers. But in order to take advantage of this innovation without inviting risk, it must be handled with care. Otherwise, your company could be exposed to critical vulnerabilities such as a recent series of bugs demonstrated.
Newly Discovered Vulnerabilities Jeopardize Device Security
According to Dark Reading, eleven newly-discovered flaws in the cloud-management platforms of three industrial cellular router vendors may have put thousands of IIoT devices in a compromising situation. Researchers found that issues with Sierra Wireless AirLink, Teltonika Networks RUT, and InHand Networks InRouter have left potential openings for attackers to access remote code execution, which could have severe effects on production.
What does this teach us? The overarching lesson is that vigilance is essential. IIoT is valuable because it provides enhanced efficiency and more data than ever before. In fact, IDC projects that the global data volume will reach 175 zettabytes by 2025. But those qualities are just as enticing to hackers as they are to businesses.
Minimizing Risk with a Comprehensive Approach to Implementing IIoT
While concerning, the threat landscape doesn’t mean that organizations shouldn’t adopt this transformative technology. Instead, it means that leaders and operators just need to do so conscientiously – with an understanding of the environment around them and a laser focus on cybersecurity.
IIoT integration is borderline necessary in today’s age. As Info-Tech Research Group explains in a recent press release, IIoT allows enterprises to eliminate the silos between IT and OT, enable data-driven decision making, and meet the demand of speed and growth driving current trends. That’s why sectors across the board are flocking to it. In addition to manufacturing, IIoT use has rapidly increased in industries such as healthcare, logistics, and transportation.
So to strike the balance between advancing to the next technical level and protecting the foundation, it takes strategy. One step highlighted in a post at Global Cybersecurity Alliance is hardening cloud-connected network resources like edge gateways, software, and devices, in addition to managing permissions.
Another important step is implementing smart methodologies for handling all of that data mentioned above. As IoT For All points out, streamlining data management and monitoring not only permits operators much needed visibility but better translates to meaningful insights too.
Last piece of advice, which comes from Lauren Slats, the author of the IoT For All article: “Tapping into the burgeoning IoT and IIoT industry ecosystem and partnering with experts is going to be critical to ensure the success of your projects.” At DYNICS, we have a full team of those experts. We are here to serve as a trusted partner throughout your IIoT journey. Explore our website to learn how our solutions enable manufacturers to gain a competitive edge through cost-effective system designs, increased productivity, and strong cybersecurity measures.
Sources:
- “Severe RCE Bugs Open Thousands of Industrial IoT Devices to Cyberattack” – Elizabeth Montalbano, Dark Reading
https://www.darkreading.com/ics-ot/severe-rce-bugs-industrial-iot-devices-devices-cyberattack - “The Challenges of IIoT and How To Solve Them” – Lauren Slats, IoT For All
https://www.iotforall.com/the-challenges-of-iiot-and-how-to-solve-them - “Manufacturing Sector Can Leverage IIoT Both to Compete and to Ensure Regulatory Compliance, Says Info-Tech Research Group” – Info-Tech Research Group, Yahoo Finance
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/manufacturing-sector-leverage-iiot-both-210000729.html - “IIoT Cybersecurity Explained” – Nikhil Kapoor, Global Cybersecurity Alliance
https://gca.isa.org/blog/iiot-cybersecurity-explained
