IOT “ A key consideration that decisionmakers need to make is how IoT devices are integrated ”
ALEX WOODWARD VPC & LEADER UK CYBER , CGI
IoT attacks are unfortunately often the result of little to no security management and no real patching . As a result , there have been several real-world incidents of significant security breaches within an organisation .
David cites the use of the Mirai malware in a 2016 attack as an example , where hackers exploited weak passwords in IoT devices , including cameras and routers , to create a botnet .
“ This botnet was used to launch a distributed denial-of-service ( DDoS ) attack , which brought down major websites across the internet ,” he explains . “ It ’ s important to note that Mirai remains a significant threat today , with six out of the top ten threats delivered via IoT being variants of Mirai , illustrating its enduring presence in the cyber threat landscape .”
Some other shortcomings of IoT devices are inadequate security configurations . As devices often come with default passwords and open network ports , this can create greater vulnerabilities .
“ Many users either are unaware of these risks or neglect to change the default settings upon installation ,” David says . “ Manufacturers often fail to provide regular updates and patches , which means that even known vulnerabilities can remain open for long periods , exposing users to potential exploits .”
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