Interconnected Technology Is the Future, But Do This One Pitfall, and You Risk Your Business' Security

No matter how small, every industry aspect becomes connected to one big mind, which forms a threat overall.

With the advancement of technology, companies in almost every industry sector began to morph their business into one big mind that almost entirely operates on incoming streams of data from multiple sources; it allows companies to reshape their product or service based on that data. It gives them so much data to work with that they can analyse it so future patterns would emerge from it, allowing those organisations to predict the future, hence why is the demand on positions of predictive analysis is through the roof. The morphing of businesses into this one big connected body has advantages, such as automation.

Your business can run on its own if it performs connection correctly. But where there is a connection, that is a way to connect to (unauthorised) the system. In this article, we will go into interconnected technologies, big data, machine learning and AI, and your business's risks if it morphs into one giant connected mine of data.

Interconnected Technology is the Future

The Internet of Things (IoT), which refers to interconnected technology, is causing a transformation in industries, shaping how businesses operate in the future. It involves connecting devices, sensors and systems through the internet to enable data exchange and automation. As more industries embrace technology, it brings advantages and opportunities and introduces distinctive challenges and factors that your business must consider.

Interconnected devices enable automation and streamlined processes, reducing manual interventions and human errors. Industries can optimise operations, enhance productivity, and achieve cost savings through intelligent, data-driven decisions.

The vast amount of data interconnected devices generate provides valuable insights and analytics opportunities. Industries can leverage this data to understand better consumer behaviour, product performance, and operational efficiencies.

With interconnected devices, industries can remotely monitor and manage operations, assets, and facilities. This capability facilitates predictive maintenance, reducing downtime and improving overall efficiency.

Industries must navigate complex regulatory landscapes concerning data privacy, ownership, and liability in interconnected ecosystems.

Interconnected technology allows personalised experiences tailored to individual preferences and needs. Industries can deliver targeted services and products, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.

You're a hospital owner. You started this hospital to be the go-to for anyone needing healthcare services. You read a blog about how advancements transformed the healthcare industry with technology. How can everyday tasks of hospital work be done with technology and the internet?

In the healthcare industry, interconnected technology revolutionises patient care through remote health monitoring, telemedicine, and wearable health devices. Real-time patient data enables early detection of health issues, leading to more timely interventions and better outcomes.

You're in the agricultural industry, with fields spanning acres and acres. Staff is limited to hire (not everyone has the spirit to be in an area all day in this age of technology, but also, in this age of technology, automation took away the need for specific repetitive tasks in the field, such as watering, monitoring, harvesting and myriad other tasks.

Interconnected technology contributes to innovative city initiatives, optimising traffic management, energy consumption, and waste management. IoT-enabled sensors and automation in agriculture enhance crop yield, water usage, and resource optimisation.

"Acoustic pulse technology (APT) developed by Armenta, a non-antibiotic treatment for bovine mastitis, a cow disease responsible for over $6 billion annual losses in the US and Europe."
"Faromatics employs robotics, AI, and big data to increase animal welfare and farm productivity."

As we mentioned above, these advancements are not all peaches and roses; your business is at risk if not applied correctly and regularly monitored (interconnected systems mean there is a possibility for unauthorised external connections. As industries become more reliant on interconnected technology, the risk of cyber threats and data breaches escalates.
Ensuring robust cybersecurity measures and protecting user privacy becomes paramount. Aside from other challenges that face your scalability, efficiency and sustainability:

To fully realise the potential of interconnected technology, industries must establish common standards and ensure devices can communicate with one another seamlessly.
Power Consumption and Sustainability:

The expansion of interconnected devices raises concerns about energy consumption and electronic waste management.

Sustainable practices and energy-efficient designs are crucial to address environmental impacts.

Industries must navigate complex regulatory landscapes concerning data privacy, ownership, and liability in interconnected ecosystems.

In general, integrating technology offers promising prospects to industries enabling them to enhance their efficiency, focus on customer needs and make data-driven decisions.
Nonetheless, addressing cybersecurity, privacy protection, standardisation, and sustainability concerns is crucial to ensure a sustainable future for adopting interconnected technology. As industries embrace this era of transformation, careful planning, collaboration, and ongoing innovation will play a role in harnessing the potential of interconnected technology to shape various sectors' future.

What should your organisation know about the components of Interconnected Technology?

All devices and intelligent sensors make up the physical infrastructure of your business, the new way it handles tasks and reacts to the requirements of its clients and customers needs to be connected someplace to share, analyse and make decisions about the data it gathers and this place is the cloud. Cloud computing offers many solutions to any connection needed for your business to function right. For a checklist for healthy cloud infrastructure, for more details, see our article about Cloud Security Solutions: How to transition into the cloud safely.

Implementing encryption measures for both data at rest and in transit is crucial. It helps ensure that sensitive information remains secure and inaccessible to individuals.

You should grant access privileges to resources to authorised users. It helps maintain control over who can access data stored in the cloud.

It is essential to comprehend the division of security responsibilities between your organisation and the cloud service provider. Knowing who is responsible for what aspects of security helps ensure protection.

Adhering to industry compliance standards and regulatory requirements while utilising cloud services is essential. It ensures that your organisation operates within boundaries while benefiting from technology.

Regularly auditing and reviewing your configurations helps identify any vulnerabilities caused by misconfigurations. Fixing these issues enhances security posture.
Preparing for Cloud Data Breaches and Incidents

Developing an incident response plan to data breaches in the cloud is crucial. Testing this plan ensures a response minimising the impact of any security incidents that may occur.

Selecting cloud service providers with security measures and certifications is vital. It assures that your data will be stored securely by a trusted provider.

Employs real-time monitoring tools for detecting threats. Responding to security incidents enhances protection against potential threats or breaches.

Encrypting data during migration guarantees its safety, integrity and confidentiality throughout the transfer process. It minimises the risk of access or tampering during migration activities.

Educating employees about practices for maintaining security awareness is essential. By raising awareness about risks, you enhance organisational security posture.

Big Data and Privacy Concerns

Big Data is all the structured or unstructured data gathered from various sources, from social media to IoT devices and online interactions. Big Data offers valuable insights for organisations but raises concerns about obstacles your business will face, so it is best to keep them in mind. Here they are:

The vast amount of data can include personal and sensitive information, requiring organisations to obtain proper consent.

Anonymizing data can mitigate privacy risks, making identifying individuals from the collected information challenging.

Big Data repositories can become attractive targets for cybercriminals, leading to large-scale data breaches with severe consequences for individuals and organisations.

When organisations collect an amount of data, they need to obtain consent and use the data by the law while considering personal and sensitive information.

To minimise privacy risks, one practical approach is anonymising the collected data. It makes it difficult to link individuals to the information gathered.

Cyber Criminals often target repositories of Big Data, which can lead to consequences for individuals and organisations. Organisations must be vigilant in protecting against data breaches.

Internet of Everything (IoE) and Cyber Threats
IoE is the expansion of IoT. It encompasses every device that can access and connect to other devices to exchange data or act out an operation depending on the data it receives, the most organisation like health care uses (IoMT) Internet of medical things, medical sensors, elevator shafts, ventilators, and a whole range of devices, that can exchange and access other devices, so if an unauthorised peripheric enters as the network in disguise it will have access to the data, access to devices potentially disrupt them, it forms a threat the more types and numbers of devices your business leans on for operations; therefore the security must be higher and tighter around this devices because one of the subsequent threats could be highly potential:

Internet of Everything (IoE) and Cyber Threats

IoE is the expansion of IoT. It encompasses every device that can access and connect to other devices to exchange data or act out an operation depending on the data it receives, the most organisation like health care uses (IoMT) Internet of medical things, medical sensors, elevator shafts, ventilators, and a whole range of devices, that can exchange and access other devices, so if an unauthorised peripheric enters as the network in disguise it will have access to the data, access to devices potentially disrupt them, it forms a threat the more types and numbers of devices your business leans on for operations; therefore the security must be higher and tighter around this devices because one of the subsequent threats could be highly potential:

The vast number of interconnected devices expands the attack surface, providing more entry points for cyber attackers.

Hackers leverage IoE in large-scale Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS).

Unauthorised devices may masquerade as legitimate ones

These were the challenges. Now what should your business do to avert and overcome them?

Interconnected technologies present challenges, but we have solutions to bolster our defences and protect our business. Investing in a cybersecurity firm can be a game-changer. They bring expertise and experience to identify vulnerabilities, conduct risk assessments, and design tailored security strategies. Employee training and awareness are essential. Educating your team about cybersecurity best practices empowers them to become frontline defenders.
By embracing these proactive solutions, your business can confidently navigate the interconnected world, reaping its benefits while staying resilient against cyber risks. Visit Micominder today to book a free consultation. Take a proactive approach and secure your interconnected technologies, ensuring a safe and seamless digital future for your business and customers.