Security And Data Overload Are ‘Main Hurdles’ To IoT Adoption

Despite being hailed as a panacea for all industries and sectors, a study by Neustar and analyst firm Quocirca has revealed that businesses are still concerned about several aspects of the Internet of Things (IoT).

Overall, the explosion in data generated by the increasing number of connected ‘things’ and the effect this will have on existing network capacity is ranked as the top worry, along with issues surrounding security and the cost of upgrading their existing networks.

Secured

The security of the Internet of Things could prove to be a major concern for many companies, as nearly half (47 percent) or respondents said that they are already scanning IoT devices for vulnerabilities, with another 29 percent are planning to do so.

In order to stay protected from attacks on IoT-enabled devices, an increasing number of companies reported that they are also looking to implement more stringent security processes.

This includes 39 percent of respondents who said that they already had DDoS protection in place, with another 31 percent planning a deployment. However, the report found that there is not much difference between major IoT users and sceptics as DDoS attacks have been an issue for many years

“As more and more devices become tied into the Internet every day, the security threat will continue to expand to new industries and areas and so there needs to be a focus on security practices before any other,” Rodney Joffe, senior vice president and fellow at Neustar.

“However, this proliferation of IoT connected devices will put pressure on manufacturers of these devices to get to grips with IoT security control.”

A report from analyst firm IDC has predicted that 90 percent of all IT networks will have an IoT-based security breach within the next two years, although many will be considered “inconveniences” as they target non-crucial parts of the business.

Believe the hype

A small number (three percent) of those surveyed even said that they believed the IoT is ‘overhyped’, however this figure was dwarfed by those who said that the IoT is already impacting their organisation (37 percent) or will soon (45 percent).

“Sceptic or otherwise, the IoT is now relevant to all organisations. Whether IoT applications are deployed to help IT function, driven by lines of business or through devices introduced by end users, various practices will need adapting to accommodate the millions of things involved which will, over time, dwarf the number of traditional IT endpoints,” explained Bob Tarzey, Analyst & Director, Quocirca.

“These challenges can be minimised through thoughtful design and the use of hubs, in addition to new networks, management tools and security capabilities to get the most out of the IoT. Quocirca’s research suggests that the cost of supporting investments can be justified by the business value derived from newly IoT-enabled applications.”

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