FRESH DATA: IoT Security Risks to Office Devices High

Cybersecurity firm Trend Micro released a new IoT security poll that surveyed 1,150 IT and security leaders.

Key Insights

• 86% of IT and security decision-makers feel their organizations must improve threat awareness
• 14% of respondents said they had full awareness of IoT threats organizationwide
• 59% of offices, followed by supply chain and manufacturing, see the highest cyberattack rates
• 50%+ of respondents prioritize a few key capabilities — including monitoring for suspicious behaviors and identifying/ managing vulnerabilities — to protect against attacks
• 37% indicated a challenge with defining specific needs prior to implementing IoT solutions

See also: New cyberattack mode targets over half a billion IoT devices

“A common theme in cyberattacks today is that many are driven by a lack of security awareness, and this is accentuated with IoT security,” said Kevin Simzer, chief operating officer for Trend Micro. “It’s a good first step to see that IT leaders recognize awareness levels need to rise across the organization. We recommend business leaders clearly acknowledge the IoT security challenges affecting their company, understand where their security requirements, and invest accordingly to make their security goals a reality.”

Trend Micro recommends a strong network defense approach to keep devices from adding security risks to the corporate network. Solutions include only allowing devices with strong baked-in security. This approach allows organizations to update user credentials more easily. The company also recommends customized protection related to specific kinds of devices.