Dive Brief:
- IBM announced new Watson-enabled security services that allow developers to test the security of Internet of Things (IoT) devices throughout development and deployment of those devices, according to a company press release.
- A Ponemon Institute study recently found 58% of organizations test IoT products during production only.
- The offering will include services from IBM X-Force Red. The X-Force Red Group also announced a dedicated automotive practice to make connected cars more secure.
Dive Insight:
IoT has been a weak spot when it comes to enterprise security. IoT technology "brings the risks inherent in potentially unsecured information technology systems into homes, factories, and communities," according to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released in May.
IT experts have warned about poor IoT security for years, but little has been done to improve it. IoT devices have recently been used to launch massive DDoS attacks. In response, many organizations are now calling for more built in security from the manufacturers to ensure that malicious actors cannot harness devices for botnets. The new services from IBM are a step in the right direction, emphasizing the importance of testing IoT devices for security at all points in the development cycle.
Gartner recently predicted 21 billion IoT devices will be used globally by 2020, outnumbering laptops, smartphone and tablets.
