The Internet of Things

While shopping for an outdoor barbecue grill this past summer, the reality of the ever-increasing Internet of Things (IoT) really hit home with me. If you aren’t familiar with this terminology, IoT simply means the connection of devices to the Internet. The IoT is growing at an exponential rate, as we try to shoehorn Wi-Fi connectivity into every device that has an on/off switch. Nothing is sacred – refrigerators, light sockets, and yes, even propane gas grills.

More Devices = Larger Attack Surface

One important repercussion of this growth is the increased need for cybersecurity professionals. As more and more of our everyday devices are interconnected, our private information is available through a growing number of nodes, therefore increasing the risk of exposure. One report states that attacks on IoT devices increased by 280% in the first part of 2017. With constant threats of information breaches looming, businesses are estimated to...