Technology is without a doubt revolutionising the way we work, live, play and learn. Its exponents believe it can help solve some of the world’s biggest challenges, including poverty and climate change to name but a few, as well as boost productivity and efficiency across the economy, writes Adam Philpott, Director of Cybersecurity, Cisco EMEAR.
As networks extend and citizens, businesses and governments continue to digitise, Cisco predicts that by 2030, there will be 500 billion devices and objects connected to the internet creating endless possibilities. Healthcare, for example, is forecast to be the fastest growing industry using the Internet of Things (IoT). According to Cisco’s Virtual Networking Index this is due to a rise in connected applications such as health monitors and medicine dispensers. Crucially the benefits go beyond financial efficiency to directly impacting the quality of and even saving people’s lives.
We are also seeing the manufacturing industry adopt and start to realise the benefits brought about by IoT. By utilising digitisation, we can gain better insight into manufacturing which in turn helps improve business-critical decision making from the shop floor to the boardroom, cutting unnecessary costs and ultimately improving productivity across the business.
But now imagine a world where cyber-criminals have control over these 500 billion objects. The world could be a very different place. The recent WannaCry attack demonstrated the hugely detrimental impact that spreading malicious ransomware can have on crucial services, such as healthcare. A world of chaos will become the new normal if security is not taken seriously and the benefits of digitising will be soon forgotten.
For example, security vulnerabilities leave the door open not only to vital personal data such as bank details or health files, but also into people’s homes. We are already seeing extreme cases where businesses are held to ransom over data, but imagine if people lose control of the heating in their house and are held to ransom over their own thermostat or front door?
In 2015, an expert claimed that the world’s first IoT doll could be used as a surveillance device by listening in on conversations in a family home. In the same year, a car manufacturer had to recall 1.4 million vehicles as security researchers proved they could control transmissions, steering and brakes by hacking into the smart car’s system. These examples are too frightening to ignore and showcase what our world could become if cyber-criminals gain control. That is why for the world to prosper and really reap the benefits of technology, cyber-security needs to be put at the heart of every digital transformation, tech-related decision, and most importantly, network update.
As more and more is connected to the internet, the pressure on existing infrastructure increases and that is why, just like devices need to be designed with security in mind, businesses have to consider the importance of securing the network – the two ultimately go hand in hand.
The network is the point at which everything connects, so a unique point of visibility and key to ensuring that we address this on the right level. By using analytics, not only can organisations learn from previous cyber-attacks – as ultimately, it is a case of ‘not if, but when’ – and put the necessary tools in place, but they can predict and prevent future ones from happening. While cyber-criminals are increasing in sophistication, the complexity of attack-methods can be over–thrown by the combination of intelligence, analytics and technology. It is therefore vital that businesses make security a priority to enable innovation and technology-driven capabilities to flourish. To truly transform the world as we know it and for the better, security must come first.
From the boardroom down to the grass roots, it is vital everyone understands – security is not an option, it is a necessity.
