As we stand on the brink of the fourth industrial revolution, we see a world in which machines are working independently to improve the efficiency and productivity of a business, fulfilling what was previously a human role.
However, as machine usage continues to rise in our day-to-day lives, so too does the issue of security measures, resulting in concerns that it may not be able to keep pace. So how do we determine which machines should be trusted, and which shouldn’t?
The first step to deciphering if a machine is trustworthy is by assigning it an identity. In the past, it was not necessary to determine the identity of a machine, however as of late, we are dealing with a record number of connected devices. These are varying from industrial IoT elements to a simple wireless router at home, not only creating autonomous connections, but creating an unprecedented need for identification and authority.
The best way to ensure that your organisation is secured against unauthorised access is through the development of a unique certificate of key for a machine ID. In order to establish a cycle of trust, a central authority is consulted each time the machine ID tries to connect to a network.
Similarly, newer smartphones have delegated access through fingerprint ID, where it must be checked against a central authority to ensure your details are valid and confirms your identity.
The complication lies in the sheer number of machines requiring identities, as we’re seeing the rapid increase in machine usage prove problematic when assigning unique certificates for each one. It is imperative organisations track where these keys are stored and how they are controlled as they accumulate. It is also important for these keys to be rotated regularly and to have them invalidated when they are put into retirement. In short, key management is critical in order to uphold security hygiene.
Staying up to date with key management is extremely important, particularly as there is growing concern surrounding data breaches and the ramifications involved in being a victim.
There is great potential for hackers to take advantage of these keys by either stealing an identity, creating a fake identity or accessing a network without an ID if it is unsecured.
Although there are numerous challenges, it is still possible for security teams to stay ahead of the pace of machines. It is essential organisations maintain integrity, accountability and confidentiality when securing their networks. Securely issuing machine identities is critical in ensuring a secure basis for the IoT.
