How to manage risk in 5G and IoT landscapes?

Short answer: The main 5G and IoT risks are a growing attack surface of insecure devices, unencrypted communications, missed security updates and weak authentication. You manage them with zero trust network access, regular patching, device tracking and monitoring, continuous security evaluation, device and data protection, and proactive threat intelligence.

Picture this. You wake up to a day where your cell phone isn’t buzzing. You check the time on your analog watch and not a smart watch that talks to you about your heart rate and how many steps you need to take today to complete your daily goal.

Picture this, waking up to a life where your everyday isn’t affected or influenced by connectivity or devices.

Today, the number of businesses that use IoT is growing and there is no stopping this.

Modern customers and businesses have completely moved into the sphere of wireless technology. With 5G now in the picture, and the Internet of Things driving the world, communication is growing at a pace never seen before, effectively and yielding better results.

Though, with its innumerable benefits and the increase in demand and usage, the 5G and IoT attack surfaces have also been growing at a similar pace. The threat to our devices and data is constantly looming around in these innovations. Especially many hackers who try to capitalize using various strategies.

What are the main 5G and IoT security risks?

1. Internet of things – companies are deploying IoT devices, but many haven’t yet changed their policy which focused on a security first strategy. This creates a potentially large attack surface for insecure devices.
2. Unsecure communications – Unsecure communications and data transmission between devices make it easy for third parties to gain access to sensitive information.
3. Lack of security updates – With many different changes happening in the IoT world, there is always something new coming up. This is why manufacturers provide updates that address these new changes as well as manage security risks. Failing to do so makes your devices vulnerable to attack from unknown locations and security flaws.  
4. Insufficient authentication and password hygiene – This happens when devices do not implement adequate measures while verifying users and who they claim to be. This gives access to outside attackers as well as insider threat actors to access IoT endpoints.

How can you reduce 5G and IoT security risks?

As we know, the risks aren’t just limited to these few points. With technology advancing by the day, there is also an advancement in how security is threatened.

But there are ways to prevent them too.

1. Zero trust network access – verify every user and device before giving access, and only to the resources it needs.
2. Regularly patch and update IoT devices – apply firmware and security updates as soon as manufacturers release them.
3. Implement device tracking and monitoring – keep an up-to-date inventory of connected devices and watch for unusual behaviour.
4. Continuous evaluation of your security – review policies and test defences regularly, because threats keep changing.
5. Device and data protection – encrypt data in transit and replace default passwords with strong, unique ones.
6. Proactive threat intelligence – follow security advisories, such as those from CERT-In, so you can act on new threats early.

Related: Secure IoT and M2M connectivity, Zero trust network access with Nexapp SSE and Industrial 4G router buying guide.

Frequently asked questions

What are the biggest security risks in IoT?

The most common are insecure devices deployed without a security-first policy, unencrypted communication between devices, missing security updates, and weak authentication and password hygiene that let outsiders or insiders reach IoT endpoints.

How do you secure IoT devices on a 5G network?

Use zero trust network access, patch and update devices regularly, track and monitor every device, evaluate your security continuously, protect devices and data, and use proactive threat intelligence.

Why does zero trust matter for IoT?

Zero trust network access checks identity and device posture before granting access and gives each user or device only the access it needs. This limits what an attacker can reach if one IoT device is compromised.

Why are firmware updates important for IoT devices?

Updates fix newly found security flaws; devices that are not updated stay open to known attacks. Nexapp's router management supports canary firmware rollout, and Nexapp firmware and configuration are post-quantum signed.

To find out how Nexapp helps secure connected sites, see Nexapp’s IoT and M2M solutions.