IoT and Security by Design
They collect data, without human intervention, to create enormous economic benefits through improved efficiencies for the users and organisations that collect data. This data is used for further analysis to bring subsequent improvements to their applications and to make them smarter.
The growth of connected IoT devices
The world is going through a period of near-exponential growth of connected IoT devices, according to an IoT Analytics report published in 2023 (Sinha, 2023). The report predicts that there will be 29 billion connected IoT devices by 2027, more than doubling the number seen in 2021. The diagram below illustrates the anticipated growth in the use of IoT from 2015 to 2025.
(Source: Sinha, 2023)
However, just like any other device connected to the internet, IoT also creates inherent security risks for users. Their sheer number further exacerbates these risks that may adversely affect the creation of a fully-fledged IoT environment. For an IoT device to operate, every aspect of the device – hardware, software, and connectivity – must be secure to work effectively. Without this, any connected ‘thing’ can become a subject of a cyber attack or be used to gain access to secure networks.
Therefore, just like any other online application or service, the design of IoT should also start with security and be grounded in Security by Design.
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