A new story today in the New York times vividly illustrates the security risks we’ve been talking about in previous posts, as more and more devices and machines become internet connected. A scary detail broke that the hackers in the recent Target payment card breach gained access to the retailer’s records through its heating and cooling system. In other cases, hackers have used printers, thermostats and videoconferencing equipment.
What does this mean for the IT or telecom manager? It means you have more holes in your floodwall to plug and you’re rapidly running out of fingers. Companies have always needed to be diligent in keeping ahead of hackers, but the situation has grown increasingly complex and urgent as countless third parties are granted remote access to corporate systems.
This access is often for software programs remotely running things from thermostats to vending machines, but add to that the growing number of BYOD and personably “wearable” devices coming in the door and it adds up to a hefty new security concern.