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I recently spoke at the latest InteropITX conference on the topic of IoT and cloud security. At the beginning of the session I asked a fun and simple question: How many people in the room have two or more devices, right there with them, which can connect to the cloud? I then asked the same question, but for people who had three devices; and then four, and even five devices.

I was impressed by the number of people who still had their hands up with three devices in that room. The winner had five devices with them, including two phones, a laptop, an iPad, and an Apple Watch.

Are you really surprised? If you look around your own home and even workplace how many devices do you have right now which can connect to the Internet? I bet its quite a few.

As this all sinks in remember that we are living in a vastly connected world. The latest Cloud Index Report from Cisco said that cloud services are accelerated in part by the unprecedented amounts of data being generated by not only people but also machines and things. Cisco estimates that 600 ZB will be generated by all people, machines, and things by 2020, up from 145 ZB generated in 2015.

In the very near future well see almost everything become a connected entity where entire cities become smart hubs creating vast amounts of data.

During my session, I discussed, from a very simple perspective, that IoT consists of six key components. That is Compute, Connectivity, Security, Data and Analytics, Ecosystem, and Services.

Read more:TheFour Internet of Things Connectivity Types Explained

Almost every connected thing has these six components in one aspect or another. Think of an Apple Watch for example. It has a compute engine, it connects via Bluetooth, security is accomplished via a unique connection, it produces a vast amount of data which is then analyzed, your ecosystem is built on the Apple platform, and finally the watch delivers an array of services revolving around notifications, health, and more.

With this in mind lets look at each of these components and understand where security fits in.

In the near future well see an even larger influx of connected devices and the data they all produce. For your own use-cases, make sure to plan out the design, deployment, and utilization of your connected systems. Make sure youre clear on the components being used, where data is being transmitted/stored, and how these devices interact with your overall IT infrastructure.

Careful planning not only helps mitigate risk, it also helps you better utilize all of these connected things. And, in return, help you create even more value from the solution.

Originally posted here:
Security Best Practices for the Internet of Things - Web Host Industry Review