It’s easy to see how things have changed over time. Everything, from the type of vehicles we used in combat to the kettle that we use in our kitchens has changed and progressed – mostly for the better.
The slow mechanical (although functional) products and systems of yesteryear pale in comparison to the devices and systems that we use today – as just about everything these days that can be connected, is. It’s the Internet of Things (IoT) and it’s done a great deal to make our lives simpler. Can you even begin to imagine life without the connectivity that links your smartphone, smart television, home automation system and similar to your oh-so-convenient network? In our modern times, it would be more than just a little inconvenient! It would be intolerably frustrating – simply because we know it’s possible.
The IoT has slowly, but compellingly made an impact in our lives allowing us to connect devices / appliances at home, at work, and in public areas. While it brings comfort and convenience, it also presents an exceptional challenge in terms of security for IT administrators. Companies and private individuals alike put themselves at risk of data breaches and hacking. If you’re part of the revolution aka the Internet of Things, here’s a few ways that you can better secure your data and privacy without having to compromise on the comforts and conveniences that you currently enjoy:
- Don’t start using a system, application or program that connects to any network until you have completely scrutinised all potential security risks. Do your homework. Knowing what the risks are will put you in a good position to safeguard yourself / business against them.
- Business networks need to establish a list of approved apps, and security measures should be set in place to ensure any unauthorised apps don’t achieve network access. By limiting access to only secure and authorised apps your network will protect your business from potential breaches.
- Restrict access to approved devices only. Make sure that smartphones, tablets and other devices accessing your network are able to meet with a strict set of security standards. Some businesses provide staff with company devices that are the only permitted devices on the networks – in some work environments this isn’t realistic. IT security administrators should ensure that a system is set in place to track devices by means of their IP or MAC address.
Of course it’s best to ensure that sensitive data is not stored on individual employee devices without being encrypted and backed up. If you’re interested in boosting your data protection and security in an IoT world, learn more about our data backup services at Soteria Cloud. Contact us with any questions today!