Internet of things cloud convergence Security Guide

The Internet of things is a way to connect people 、 matter 、 Equipment and company technology , Its popularity has grown enormously . In the age of pandemic , The Internet of things has become one of the world's solutions to minimize social interaction .

The combination of cloud computing and the Internet of things , Can solve the most serious challenges for your business . However , The increasing demand for remote control devices has raised concerns about the cloud security of the Internet of things .

Whether your company is digitalized or just starting to transform , Will face the security risks of Internet of things and cloud integration . Fortunately, , There are ways to reduce these risks .

Internet of things cloud security challenges

Let's look at several security challenges facing the Internet of things and cloud integration .

1、 Centralized access

Firewall protected in the cloud API The gateway limits incoming and outgoing traffic . This feature of the Internet of things and cloud technology reduces the attack surface . meanwhile , The problem of firewall effectiveness also arises . Narrow the network attack surface to make the target become obvious , So as to attract potential hackers .

2、 Insecure communication and data flow between the edge and the cloud

Access control is a method to ensure the identity of users and their access rights to company data . Endpoint or cloud may lack Authentication 、 Security functions such as authorization and data encryption . under these circumstances , Access control and integrity of transmitted data will be at risk .

3、 Privacy and authorization issues

The way in which IOT devices and sensors collect sensitive data is crucial for enterprises . In the cloud ecosystem , Information is transferred to an interoperable space . In the case of the public cloud , Data is available to other users and customers . Where data is stored and how information is processed and transmitted are critical to privacy .

4、 Poor implementation of the Internet of things

As the business expands , The number of people accessing the organization's network is also increasing . This increases the number of endpoints that connect the IOT ecosystem to the cloud , This in turn increases the risk of network attacks . If there are security vulnerabilities in the access point and the Internet of things device network , They also affect the cloud .

5、 Cloud vulnerabilities

The wrong configuration of cloud environment and resources will make your system vulnerable to attack , And may lead to sensitive data leakage . Incorrect settings can cause system outages and unnecessary downtime , This leads to service disruption . As long as the ecosystem is integrated , These and similar issues are common to cloud and IOT security .

6、 Lack of built-in security patches

The security of Internet of things applications can only be ensured through continuous updates and patches . Some IOT devices use outdated or legacy operating systems that cannot be patched . therefore , It is very doubtful to ensure the safe operation of such an ecosystem .

7、 Lack of employee awareness

according to Verizon 20221 Data breach investigation report ,2020 Of all the leaks in, there were 30% Involving internal personnel . Statistics show that employees need to be educated about phishing attacks and other social engineering technologies .

Ensure the security of your cloud Internet of things

By implementing the following tips , You can be sure that your cloud and Internet of things are very secure ：

Monitor and protect data flow

Endpoint protection is critical to implementing cloud and IOT security . Enterprises should manage monitoring and filtering tools , To identify the blind spots that an attacker might be targeting . After the data flow from the endpoint of the Internet of things to the cloud is protected , Additional security controls should be added to strengthen defense .

Adopt a safe development process

According to the future trend of Internet of things solutions , Enterprises should ensure the security of cloud and Internet of things before entering the market . In order to achieve network security , Experts suggest finding out their weaknesses and mapping the potential attack surface .

Take advantage of cloud security options

IOT devices connected to the cloud environment need to be protected . In order to minimize the risk of remote attacks , Enterprises can use cloud based IOT security platform . Cloud providers offer a variety of solutions , Include ：

• Register a new device
• Grant certificates and private security keys to devices
• Remote reset device
• Install firmware and software updates
• Threat audit and detection functions
• The cloud monitoring
• Local sensitive data

Keep these three types of data away from public access ：

• Personal identity information (PII)
• Personal healthcare information (PHI)
• Financial data

Use the cloud to protect devices

Protection can be implemented in the cloud IoT Other hardware measures . be called “ middleware ” The software is the interface between IOT components . middleware , Usually called “ Software glue ”, Connections can be made between complex programs that were originally designed to be disconnected .

Data encryption

The Internet of things protocol connects devices to a network , And enable them to exchange data . In addition to selling packets , Protocol functions also include network security and device compatibility . Most commonly used IoT Agreement is MQTT、CoAP and XMPP.

Internet of things software development RESTfulAPI

Representational State Transfer (REST) It's an architectural style , It defines a set of for creating Web Service constraints . Application programming interface (API) Is a set of rules that define how software components are interconnected . In cloud services ,RESTful API Connect providers and consumers .

IoT-Cloud The fusion creates a complex ecosystem of hardware and software elements . In the Internet of things , Most of the cases follow the event driven architecture pattern . Software patterns can be described as the creation of events 、 Consumption and identification .

API Allows you to build context - based applications that can interact with the physical world . REST Allow data to pass through Internet Agreement flows and delegates and manages delegation of authority . stay RESTful API With the help of the , A single application can use software written in multiple programming languages . REST and API For IoT-Cloud Ecosystems are vital , And make sure it's flexible 、 Scalable and secure management .

Clear access control plan

Access control is a secure method , It specifies who or what can view or use resources in the computing environment . To minimize the risk of unauthorized behavior in the IOT cloud , Each device must have a unique identity . Authentication when a device attempts to connect to a gateway or central network can be performed in the following ways ：

• IP or MAC( Media access control ) Address
• Unique identity key
• A security certificate

Another device recognition technology is machine learning (ML), It can improve the security of the Internet of things . This tool can analyze the traffic of IOT devices and establish authorized behavior files . ML The algorithm can successfully detect traffic deviation and intrusion , And add more layers of security for authentication and access management .

Continuous updating

IoT-Cloud Equipment manufacturers and suppliers must keep their products up to date to meet market demand . Cloud-IoT The security of the ecosystem also depends on timely upgrading .

Patches can add new features to devices . however , These minor updates are usually intended to fix bugs and security holes , Or prevent vulnerabilities in future IOT and cloud applications and operating systems . otherwise , Unpatched software containing security vulnerabilities will become an easy target for attackers , And the resistance to malicious code is poor .

Patch management of IOT devices can be performed manually . After the IOT security compliance inspection and audit ,IT The administrator interacts with the components of the Internet of things cloud network on site , To implement new patches and updates . This process can be complex and time consuming , Especially for companies with multiple servers and endpoints . Remote management and automated patching , Operate the process completely from the cloud . Remote patching and security management can save time and money for product recalls or vendor services .

Security code

For... Designed to access you IoT-Cloud For the attacker of the system in the network , Weak credentials are easy . To protect IoT Devices and linked cloud services , Please follow the advice below ：

1. Do not use the default password .

2. All Internet of things devices and cloud services should obtain a unique password that cannot be downgraded to the factory default password .

3. Connect to... Over a protected network Internet Previously changed IoT The password on the device .

4. Regularly review IOT devices . Newly detected devices should be authenticated , And change its default password before accessing the network .

5. In addition to the password , Avoid using default and standard usernames , for example admin; Use hard coded .

OAuth 2.0 Authentication

Open licensing (OAuth) Is a user authentication and authorization framework . The latest version OAuth 2.0 Enables users to use third-party accounts ( Amazon 、 Apple 、Facebook、Google Home、Nest etc. ) Access IOT devices . OAuth 2.0 Authorize access to user data , Without having to work with other third parties ( for example IoT-Cloud Solution providers ) Share their credentials .

summary

There is a strong demand for cloud solutions for the Internet of things , Created new business opportunities . However , With this popularity , People are increasingly worried about network security . By taking the above offline precautions and cloud solutions , Enterprises can minimize security risks , Meet customer needs .