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IoT Security the New Solution Vertical, Drives Faster Adoption of M2M

IoT Security the New Solution Vertical, Drives Faster Adoption of M2M

With more equipments and consumer appliances catching up with the Internet of Things (IoT) and becoming M2M connected, complimentary technologies and solutions are also surfacing to complement and accelerate the development of the IoT and its adoption in industry and consumer segments.

According to Context Information Security, a provider of technical security consultancy, the M2M connection also comes with security requirements that need to be put in place to ensure that the connections remain safe and information from the connected devices that is carried via the network is not vulnerable to hacking or manipulation by third parties.

Context shared the case of light bulb manufacturer, LIFX whom they have recently worked with. Context said that LIFX's Wi-Fi enabled, energy efficient LED light bulb had a security weakness that enabled anyone who accessed the master bulb to control all connected light bulbs and expose user network configurations. Context worked with LIFX to develop a new firmware that rectified the shortcoming and also encrypts all 6LoWPAN traffic, using an encryption key derived from the wifi credentials on top of ensuring secure ‘on-boarding' of new bulbs on to the network.

These complementary solutions will ensure that the various machines and appliances connected to the network in future do not create additional security risk to the consumers. At the same time, the solution enables manufacturers to assess the security levels provided by their products prior to bringing them to market, saving on operational costs and increasing end user satisfaction.   

"Hacking into the light bulb was certainly not trivial but would be within the capabilities of experienced cyber criminals. In some cases, these vulnerabilities can be overcome relatively quickly and easily as demonstrated by working with the LIFX developers. In other cases the vulnerabilities are fundamental to the design of the products. What is important is that these measures are built into all IoT devices from the start and if vulnerabilities are discovered, which seems to be the case with many IoT companies, they are fixed promptly before users are affected."

 Michael Jordon, Research Director at Context

Author

Ray is a news editor at The Fast Mode, bringing with him more than 10 years of experience in the wireless industry.

For tips and feedback, email Ray at ray.sharma(at)thefastmode.com, or reach him on LinkedIn @raysharma10, Facebook @1RaySharma

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