Cybersecurity and the Internet of Things

Posted February 26, 2019

In Blog, Cloud Service Providers, Cloud Services, Cloud Solutions, Data Center, IT Solutions, Managed IT Service Providers, Managed IT Services, Managed Network Services, Managed Service Provider, Managed Services

Everything we have seems to connect wirelessly, from our vehicles to our televisions. Our watches connect to our phones. Our home assistants can turn on our lights before we walk in the door. All of this interconnectedness creates an “internet of things,” or IOT. It’s incredible phenomenon that makes our lives easier and more efficient.

Unfortunately, concerns about cybersecurity and the internet of things are becoming more prevalent, as we continue to find new ways to create smart devices. Like any computer or cellphone, your smart devices are just as vulnerable to hacking and cyber attacks. As such, precautions should be taken to protect anything that you have looped into your network.

When putting together your cybersecurity plan, be sure to consider the following:

1.More than likely, any smart device that you purchase will come with a default username and password. Worse yet, they’re typically very easy to guess. Some common examples are usernames like “admin” and passwords like “password.” These factory defaults are easily hackable on a large scale, if the consumer neglects to change the passwords prior to their use. If you have a smart device in your place of business and haven’t changed the password on it, you’re vulnerable to anyone who knows the default security settings.

2. You’ve likely heard about the issues concerning Samsung televisions recording all conversations, even when the product was turned off. Now, imagine that you have a smart television in your office, lobby, or conference room, and you can probably understand the concerns regarding confidentiality and privacy. All data that you submit to your smart devices, from the temperature you set on your air conditioner to the questions you ask your home assistant, is stored. This stored data can be accessed by someone with nefarious intent, leading to security breaches.

3. Smart devices are very rarely updated. Outside of a few exceptions to the rule, such as smartphones, most smart devices are running on the same software that they were the day they came out of the box. This is an issue because cyber attackers are constantly evolving their strategies. Without vigilance and preventative measures, this leaves your devices open to unauthorized access.

One way to help ease your mind regarding these potential breaches and obstructions of privacy is to maintain a secure network at all times. Keeping your devices on a network that is constantly monitored, updated, and protected is of the utmost importance to prevent unauthorized access to your sensitive and confidential information.

Verus Corp offers holistic security solutions that protect every layer of your network, from perimeter to user. Verus designs, implements and supports networks that meet the highest standards for data, firewall and connectivity security.

Kevin Willette

Kevin Willette is Partner / CEO of Verus Corp. His focus is ensuring complete customer satisfaction and providing as much or as little support as is needed for the individual client. Kevin knows that plenty of places do IT services, but what sets Verus Corp apart is the local feeling and the commitment to doing things right the first time. He has always wanted to be a business owner because it affords him the opportunity to offer a service that was better than anything clients had seen before. His true goal is to help customers make their businesses better by removing potential IT barriers. Kevin served as chair for Habitat for Humanity during his time at Minnesota State University, Mankato. He has also served on the WatchGuard Advisory Council since 2016. Kevin’s work with Verus Corp has helped them achieve awards as the WatchGuard Partner of the Year and Cisco Select Partner. Kevin graduated from Minnesota State in 2000 with a major in Business Marketing and minors in Business Administration and Music.