The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the network of objects embedded within electronic devices, which enables these objects to collect and exchange data over the Internet.

There’s no ignoring IoT…

The market is predicted to reach $1.7 trillion and include 30 billion endpoints by 2020 per IDC. These endpoints can be in any device found in the home or office, including thermostats, ovens, refrigerators, door locks, window shades, lighting, alarm systems, medical equipment – virtually anything you want to monitor and control. The mass adoption of IoT adds convenience, but may be coming at the expense of security safeguards.

Expect IoT devices to become prime targets of hackers.

Connected devices introduced by employees to company networks pose some of the greatest risks, so businesses will need to roll out best practices and standards.

For example, IoT devices that need direct access to the Internet should be segmented onto their own network with access restrictions in place. The network segment should then be monitored to identify potential anomalous traffic, and immediate action needs to be taken if there is a problem.

And as the number of IoT devices grows, you will likely need more bandwidth to handle the continuous transfer of information between them. If you don’t upgrade your network, performance may suffer and your business may lag behind.

Don’t let all your Things get in the way of business. Contact us today to ensure you’re protected and up to speed: (800) 787-4848 or jnolte@ctsmd.us.