Even though a majority of organizations have adopted or plan to adopt Internet of Things technologies within the next year, many are still concerned about security threats, according to a new study by online IT community Spiceworks.
For the report, commissioned by cloud-based network technology provider Cradlepoint, Spiceworks surveyed 400 IT professionals in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., and found that 69 percent of organizations have adopted or plan to adopt IoT solutions within the next year. Forty percent of the respondents have serious concerns around cybersecurity, however.
While cybersecurity is the top concern, a desire for increased physical security is the top driver for IoT adoption (32 percent), followed by improved operational processes (23 percent), reduced operational costs (21 percent) and simplified management (20 percent).
Recent botnet attacks have infected millions of IoT devices. Despite the growing security threat associated with IoT, however, the research shows that about half of the organizations surveyed are deploying IoT solutions on their existing enterprise network and 57 percent prefer to manage their own IoT device security.
“Following the spread of IoT botnets like Reaper and Mirai, which infected millions of internet-connected security cameras, routers, and digital video recorders, it’s evident that insecure IoT devices, even connected security devices, are putting organizations more at risk,” said Peter Tsai, senior technology analyst at Spiceworks.
“Before deploying network-connected devices that create more entry points for hackers to exploit, organizations should vet the security of all IoT devices they plan to introduce and ensure their company can adequately protect these devices from potential threats,” Tsai said.
