Featured Article from Software Licensing

Intelligent device manufacturers are making the lives of consumers easier; it isn’t just our phones that can help connect us to the outside world, but now appliances and other at-home gadgets can do more, whether that’s change our thermostats, watch over our children, and even tell us when we are out of milk. These devices work because they’re “always on,” and that means being connected to the Internet at all times. For some, this opens up a host of security concerns. Understanding how network security layers work can help quell those concerns.

According to software licensing experts Flexera Software, security protection for IoT devices is not the same as running software on a computer.

“Traditional security practices do not apply when it comes to IoT devices. For example, you normally would not download an anti-virus app and try to run it in your Nest Thermostat device to protect against malware or viruses,” the company noted in a recent blog post.  

So, how does security work for devices that are constantly connected to the Internet?

For the developer, it’s about security layers. Using “tamper-resistant” applications can mitigate attacks. Flexera Software’s FlexNet Licensing offers this type of tamper resistance by creating a “virtual moat” around software, making it difficult for hackers to gain access.  By providing additional security layers to protect the software application from piracy, not only are users protected, but developers protect revenue by mitigating leakage due to illicit use.

Data security and privacy concerns are not new to the IoT landscape. We have dealt with similar issues when RFID came onto the market. As technology becomes more intertwined with the physical world, the consequences of security failure escalate. But IoT’s benefits far outweigh the risks, and Flexera Software’s solutions can help developers bring ideas and new solutions to market while demonstrating security technology that works, thus making the Internet of Things more secure.

More secure embedded operating systems and applications, more scalable approaches to continuous monitoring and threat mitigation and new ways of detecting and blocking active threats are evolving and can be tremendously effective.

Businesses must adapt to this new reality by creating agile, resilient, and vigilant security layers embedded into products and services.