Industry Insights

IoT: New Horizons, New Risks 

By Jon Taylor

Director and Principal of Security, Versa Networks
January 7, 2025

The Internet of Things (IoT) offers exciting new opportunities for growth and innovation. From fostering collaboration between organizations to enabling entirely new services, IoT is at the heart of many technological revolutions.  

Here are some ways IoT can transform business operations in a variety of industries:  

• Fostering Interconnectivity and Communication: Historically, different branches and departments even within the same organization were disconnected. This is particularly true in industries like manufacturing where the plant floor is air gapped from each other and from carpeted enterprise networks. By introducing IoT and Operational Technology (OT) devices, previously mechanically driven processes can become computer driven. This allows data to be shared directly from plant to plant or to a central management console, connecting previously siloed environments.  
• Emerging Services: Through IoT devices, organizations can create new services and offerings.  IoT and smart device manufacturers can offer managed IoT services, so customers do not have to manage thousands of devices themselves. For example, manufacturers of smart medical devices can provide managed services to those devices to hospitals, so more hospital resources can be devoted to patient care instead of device management.
• Cloud Transformation: Organizations have already been pursuing cloud and digital transformation in various forms. IoT accelerates this process. Former datacenters hosted physically at manufacturing plants, for example, can be moved to the cloud while OT devices send continuous updates, maintaining data visibility while decreasing costs.  
• Reduced Physical Risks: Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of IoT and OT is its use to reduce physical risk to humans. Consider dangerous working environments, such as those on oil rigs or factories. IoT devices need to communicate and share data with each other and cloud services. Since this data can be controlled and viewed remotely, you can reduce the number of workers who must be physically present on site, reducing physical risk.

Risks in the IoT Landscape 

While IoT has tremendous transformative potential, it can also introduce significant security risks. Greater interconnectivity with devices that cannot have traditional security controls applied to them like software firewalls, AV, and more can allow an attacker to infiltrate and move laterally within a network. This can lead to weaponized OT devices which can cause catastrophic failures in factories, jeopardizing worker safety and business operations. In healthcare—the most targeted industry for IoT attacks—compromised devices could endanger patient health, disrupt critical treatments, and expose sensitive data. 

To address these challenges, implementing robust security measures is critical. By adopting modern IT principles like a Zero Trust Architecture consisting of Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) and dynamic segmentation, organizations can achieve granular security controls while maintaining management flexibility. At Versa Networks, we’ve developed adaptable solutions to secure even the most complex IoT environments. 

Secure Your IoT Journey 

IoT has the power to revolutionize industries, but managing its risks requires a proactive and secure design. Ready to take the next step? Download our eBook, The Do’s and Don’ts of IoT Security, to start protecting your IoT ecosystem.