News
Industry comment: Government Publishes Guidelines for Improving IoT Security
March 2018 by Kirill Kasavchenko, principal security technologist, EMEA at NETSCOUT Arbor
UK’s government has just published practical steps for manufacturers, service providers and developers to improve the cyber security of IoT devices. Manufacturers of ’smart’ devices will now be expected to build-in tough new security measures that last the lifetime of the product. Why are these guidelines so important? Kirill Kasavchenko, principal security technologist, EMEA at NETSCOUT Arbor, offers his thoughts below.
“With IoT devices posing increasingly serious security risks, these proposed guidelines are a good starting place. Our connected world promises to simplify and enhance our daily lives, but as we become increasingly reliant on these connections, our tolerance for large-scale network disruption decreases correspondingly.
“It is critical that new technologies and devices are developed with security front of mind, so it’s great to see all parties having their responsibilities called out. From manufacturers and developers, to service providers and consumers, we must all contribute to shifting our culture and society towards better cyber security practices.
“Experts have a responsibility to simplify the technical backbone to these issues, and knowledge sharing is the only way for security defenders to keep pace with hackers. This is why the proposal to develop a labelling scheme to summarise security best practices is a great idea. If it becomes easier for consumers to digest complex security features, they will feel more empowered to take action and be the security expert in their own homes.”
