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i-PRO shares cyber insights for cybersecurity awareness month

i-PRO Co. Ltd. has announced it will join the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency to raise awareness around cybersecurity for NCSAM

In its news of plans to work with the DHS, i-PRO referenced increasing cyber-attacks aimed at critical infrastructure and security products in recent years. Additionally, IIoT devices like security cameras are becoming popular targets for hackers.

According to a Kaspersky analysis of its telemetry from honeypots shared with Threatpost, in the first half of 2021 there were over 1.5 billion IoT breaches. This statistic is based on reported numbers, meaning the actual number is likely higher.

“It’s clear that IoT and IIoT manufacturers must do more to help secure these devices and educate the market on security best practices,” reads the statement from i-PRO.

The company recommend “four pillars” to any IoT security program. They are resiliency, cyber hygiene, product security, and proper configuration.

Below is a summary of what each of these foundational pillars represents.

• Resiliency means IoT devices or security systems should be there when they are needed most. This includes functioning during power outages, severe weather, and communication disruptions.
• Cyber Hygiene is concerned with the care and maintenance of IoT devices. i-PRO recommends updating IoT devices and logging them in an inventory as with all other devices on the network; however, the company notes they are often overlooked or forgotten once deployed.
• Product security refers to the security features on the actual devices. i-PRO recommends purchasing devices from reputable companies that will fix security flaws as they are reported. Some of the security features to look for in an IoT device are encryption, authentication, and the support of secure network standards like 802.1x.
• Proper configuration focuses on ensuring the devices have the security features turned on, and turning off any features that aren’t in use, but it also includes making sure that the network is set up properly. i-PRO says eliminating the visibility of IoT devices from the internet can prevent hackers from gaining access to them.