How IoT Threats Impact Us All

From wearables, cellphones, and thermostats to point-of-sale systems, clouds, and critical infrastructure, our world is connected. We’re part of the Internet of Things (IoT) at work, at home, even in our cars and, of course, in our pockets. There are more than 27 billion devices in the world that connect in some way to the internet, and each of those items pose an access threat. Cybersecurity experts like Ed Cabrera, the Chief Cybersecurity Officer for Trend Micro and former Secret Service officer and National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration/Homeland Security advisor, are identifying how data breaches happen and what can be done to prevent them. Ed investigates technology from every aspect, from hotspots to artificial intelligence and machine learning.

More Than Your Computer Is At Risk

Vulnerabilities are all around:

simple connectivity through a wireless fish tank thermostat was all that was needed to access the enterprise system of a casino,the Mirai botnet attack targets networked devices, such as home routers and IP cameras,the apps we download,the patches we forget, andthe sources we trust all matter.

Traditionally, risk management for connectivity wasn’t first and foremost in a designer’s mind but increasingly companies’ reputations and responsibilities are being questioned and impacted by product breaches. This is affecting the way leadership and designers approach their products.

Cabrera suggests that we use the same diligence that we protect our businesses should be applied to our personal lives. Consumers need to investigate if devices that they bring into their home, like Amazon's Alexa, smart TV’s and IP cameras, even printers and smart home services, are subject to threats and what manufacturers are doing to prevent breaches.

Corporate Culture & Cyber Education

The evolution of cybersecurity is also changing the executive level of companies. Chief Security Officers and IT managers are keystones in understanding what their developers and researchers are finding and relaying that information to other executives and board members. Cabrera says that CSO’s need to be Chief Translating Officers to ensure decision makers understand the threats and how to prevent them.

Businesses also play a role in growing the cyber community and closing the personnel gap. There is large gap between currently taught IT and engineering skills and those needed for machine learning and AI. This gap is causing a shortage, and Cabrera estimates that there are 300,000 openings nationally right now in the cybersecurity industry. He advocates for apprenticeship models to foster a partnership between education and employment. The apprenticeship model also addresses the soft skills needed to be an integral part of a company.

These workers are needed as cybercriminals and nation-state actors are relying on automated crypto ransomware, cyberattacks, cyber manipulation, and identity theft. In 2016, automation helped cybercriminals attempt more than one billion attacks, but now criminals are being pickier to reap a larger reward. Organizations and governments of all sizes continue to be at risk.

What is an IoT? 02:52

Connectivity is the Door to Data Breaches 03:57

Digital Extortion 07:15

Corporate Culture 07:55

Examples of IoT Breaches 09:11

Machine Learning and AI Skill Gaps 11:34

Chief Translating Officer 14:25

Apprenticeship Models 17:22

Hacking Medical Records 22:37

Culture of Cybercriminals 24:34

Crypto Ransomware and Automation 26:25