The year 2022 can be one of progress for IoT. At the same time, it may also prove costly for people’s safety and security if the industry is not careful. Here, Jimmy Jones, head of security, ZARIOT, discusses some of the top IoT security trends for the coming year.
For IoT, 2022 promises to be an exciting year. We will see fundamental changes in both the technical and cultural ways the industry develops and behaves. The public will start to gain an insight on just how embedded connected technology already is in their lives and how they need to consider the consequences, adjusting their behavior — not just enjoying the convenience.
2022 will be a year of progress, but any mistakes could also polarize opinion as people start to realize the speed of change and the impact on their safety and security. We must be diligent as any reservations will erode confidence and adoption.   Â
1. IoT Expands Its Role
IoT is entering a critical stage. The industry accelerates from simple siloed sensor and metering solutions merely reporting data into a central repository to more advanced, expansive applications where multiple types of devices combine to create more cohesive solutions, with data not just collected but analyzed and utilized to drive decisions back to the physical world.Â
2022 is when IoT develops from a baby to a toddler. An infant is difficult to care for but easy to control, whereas a toddler’s behavior is far more unpredictable, potentially hazardous, and difficult to manage.Â
The subdivision of IoT that consists of devices that monitor and then control physical actions is called Operational Technology (OT). These types of devices are not normally deployed in the home, but they are in our workplaces and other areas of our environment.
OT is already widely used in factories to ensure the smooth running of the assembly line, robots, or other key processes. The difference moving forward is that more information will be required to make more informed decisions. This necessitates many more sensors and meters to complete the picture. A “Digital twin†is the ultimate interpretation of this idea and requires massive amounts of collected data to replicate and analyze a physical situation in a digital environment.Â
This blurs the lines between passive IoT and OT, exposing the once protected environment far more and is a driver for another trend in industrial IoT (IIoT): the emergence of private mobile networks.Â
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2. Regulation Really Arrives
The automotive and medical industries and cellular connectivity are already heavily regulated. Nevertheless, additional regulations such as the UN’s smart vehicle regulationsOpens a new window and global 5G legislation led by the UKOpens a new window are here. However, very soon, regulation will affect all IoT manufacturers, providers, and consumers.Â
Both the U.S. and Europe have legislation passing that will affect the ability to supply IoT by 2024. Considering the time to develop and test, an IoT project would have to start planning today.
The EU Commission adopted the “Internet-Connected Radio Equipment and Wearable Radio EquipmentOpens a new window †initiative last month, setting baseline criteria for IoT security. This means any IoT device aimed at the 447 million inhabitants needs to be security hardened and tested to obtain the “CEOpens a new window †certification. Â
As part of the U.S. Executive Order (EO) 14028, “Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity,†NIST has now closed its whitepaper “Baseline Security Criteria for Consumer IoT DevicesOpens a new window †to comment. This again outlines cybersecurity hardening and testing that must be performed as well as consumer labeling. Consumers in both regions will soon have labeling, similar to the power efficiency rating of a washing machine, allowing them to make educated security buying decisions.  Â
Both initiatives align to ETSI standard EN 303 645Opens a new window as a primary reference, which makes sense. IoT is a global market, and vendors need to be able to confidently address all regulations. By aligning, countries can remove market friction and avoid security strategies being diluted. As a result, these initiatives will almost inevitably be a precursor to other regions following suit.Â
3. Cellular Makes a Bigger Push in LPWAN
Meters, sensors, and other simple, cheap devices represent the majority of deployed IoT. These predominantly use unlicensed spectrum LPWAN technologies, e.g., LoRa and Sigfox, with cellular access primarily used to backhaul these networks or where particular conditions dictate. On most occasions, the design decisions were based on power consumption and cost.Â
2022 sees the release of 3GPP’s Rel.17 5G standard. This directly supports massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC), delivering improved device density and power consumption. With cellular already closing the discrepancy in price with the use of eSIM/iSIM technology and more effective network architecture, changes in the regulatory environment could see cellular become the technology of choice.Â
Whisper it, but by the end of 2022, be prepared to start hearing about the next generation, 5G AdvancedOpens a new window , sort of 5.5G, released in 2023.
See More: How Telecom Providers Can Prevent IoT Attacks
4. Adoption of Multi-access Edge Compute (MEC) and Private Cellular Networks
MEC is designed to reduce latency by relocating some traditional core application functions at the telecom network edge. This is essential to provide augmented reality, for instance. Currently, it is more common in latency-sensitive industrial solutions, and hyper-scalers already have offerings, e.g., AWS WavelengthOpens a new window and Azure Private MECOpens a new window .
The industry is embracing MEC to the same end as deploying more sensors to improve efficiency. Maximizing the opportunity requires maximum flexibility and customization and, coupled with security concerns, is driving private cellular networks, both 5G or LTE (4.5G).
5. IoT Cooperation and Collaboration Becomes the Norm
IoT is an ecosystem consisting of very divergent foundations, various devices, connectivity, and a multitude of applications. Due to the complexity and variety of skill sets required, the only feasible way to deliver IoT service effectively will be cooperation and collaboration between experts from the constituent disciplines and technologies.Â
This will only increase as additional elements are incorporated to create more complicated and multifaceted solutions.Â
6. IoT Hits the Headlines for the Wrong Reasons
In 2022, it is inevitable IoT security will hit the headlines for the wrong reasons. This could be a new, bigger Mirai BotnetOpens a new window or an attack on an industry such as the Colonial PipelineOpens a new window . However, closer to home, there is a threat.
Consider smart light bulbs. They have a chip containing your WiFi LAN info, and it’s most likely still intact after the LED blows. Throwing away your lightbulb or selling your old smart T.V. may give an opportunist access to your home or office WiFi access and, in turn, doorbell, security camera, laptop, router etc.
Educating consumers to recognize the threat when disposing of devicesOpens a new window is as important as advising on security when buying them. Â
See More: How To Choose Enterprise IoT Security Solutions
7. IoT Hits the Headlines for the Right Reasons
IoT has the power to help solve the largest global issues and must be leveraged to do just that. Thankfully, there are numerous projects planned or underway. Vertical farming already shows great promise in places such as UAEOpens a new window , reducing transport overhead, water consumption, reducing the need for pesticides and fertilizer while also improving productivity. It is additionally a focus for a 6G lab run by Nokia in the U.S. where the crops progressOpens a new window is inspected by drones utilizing AI.
In India, irrigation is controlled by IoTOpens a new window , dronesOpens a new window are used extensively to monitor crops, and clean drinking waterOpens a new window is available to remote regions. The list goes on and on…
Looking forward to 2022, the one thing we can confidently predict is there will be no slowdown in technical advancement, innovation, or ambition. We just need to understand that our creativity and perseverance for progress will be mirrored by cybercriminals.Â
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