Regardless of the type or amount of data  collected, there are patterns that reveal important aspects of an enterprise, institution or government, and those patterns can be gleaned from data collection habits and business operations. Because the data, the systems, and the processes that support a business are highly valuable, it is critical to take a holistic approach to security.

Where To Start

Low-power, wide area (LPWA) networks represent the most pervasive type of connectivity for the IoT. When choosing an LPWA technology for IoT solutions, remember the following three-fold security philosophy:

1. Be secure by design;
2. Keep it simple; and
3. Follow the standards.

Secure by Design

Building technology to be secure by design basically assumes that somebody, someday, will try to hack systems and information. With security by design, security is built in from the ground up; it is not a bolted-on afterthought. This consideration can make a significant difference in the efficacy of security over the long run. A house built of reeds would not be protected by even the strongest lock at the front door. If something highly coveted is inside, an intruder will just drill through the wall. And this is the case when a wireless protocol is not secure by design, as companies leave valuable data open to outside sources.

Keep It Simple

Albert Einstein has been attributed with saying, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” IoT security that is simple, clear and transparent means there is visibility in how pieces come together to create a comprehensive suite of IoT security protection. A glut of security features doth not strong security make. Corporate networks are innately complex, with dozens to hundreds or thousands of machines, operating systems, databases, web servers, mail agents, and functions. 

Simplicity refers to the idea that those responsible for securing the network have a simple way to view and understand what is happening with the systems, processes, data,  and key components that are ultimately exploitable by internal and external threats. It should never be too arduous for those in charge of security to access the information they need for true awareness and actionable insight.

Follow the Standards

Finally, following security standards builds on the "keep it simple" principle by clarifying the security capabilities so that security teams know what they are getting. Following standards enables security teams to meet the standards proposed or mandated by the industries for which they work. This helps nuclear power plants, oil and energy providers, smart grids, health care providers and others to remain compliant with federal standards and guidelines. Without this compliance, these entities could face fines of millions of dollars per day, or be forced to cease operation altogether.

By employing these three principles as an overarching philosophy, LPWA wireless providers should also be able to offer the following IoT device security guarantees:

Message Confidentiality—Rather than add a few bytes of encryption onto a protocol, call it secure, and walk away, executives should strive for encryption that truly keeps messages confidential. Message confidentiality scrambles messages in such a way that only those with specific keys or passwords can unscramble them.