News
Uptick in IoT-related breaches and attacks - comment from Fujitsu
May 2019 by Sarah Armstrong Smith, Head of Continuity and Resilience at Fujitsu UK
A recent Ponemon Institute
report found that there has been an
uptick in IoT-related breaches and attacks, due to a lack of security in
internet-connected devices. If you were planning on writing a story on the report,
and would like any further pieces of commentary, please see below a comment from
Sarah Armstrong Smith, Head of Continuity and Resilience at
Fujitsu.
Sarah argues businesses need to do more to
ensure their devices are secure from the get-go, including basic security measures
such as reminding consumers to change their passwords.
"The latest report from the Ponemon Institute, found that there was a rise in
breaches and attacks on internet-connected devices, which is concerning to read, as
more consumers purchase smart devices and trust businesses with their data.
Cyber-criminals are continuing to be more sophisticated and many operate in a
complex criminal industry designed to infiltrate networks and exploit data. The
number of breaches will only continue to rise should businesses not take effective
action in developing their cybersecurity measures.
"Steps are being taken towards protecting connected devices, for example, last week
the government introduced plans for new regulations to ensure devices are
well-equipped for cyberattacks. However, organisations must go further and ensure
they adopt a ’security by design’ approach, to ensure their devices are prepared
for every avenue that cyber-criminals may look to take. This approach includes
basic security measures such as consumers being reminded to change default settings
and passwords on these devices. By taking this approach, IoT manufacturers can
ensure they adequately protect their consumers and will provide them with a level
of assurance and confidence when purchasing their products."
Sarah Armstrong Smith, Head of Continuity and Resilience at Fujitsu UK
