Introduction

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the next evolution of the internet that will enable a networking infrastructure that connects a large number of devices to allow them to collect data and communicate with each other in order to make processed smart decisions.

An IoT ecosystem consists of web-enabled smart devices that use embedded systems, such as processors, sensors, and communication hardware, to collect, send, and act on data they acquire from their environments. IoT devices share the sensor data they collect by connecting to an IoT gateway or other edge device where data is either sent to the cloud to be analyzed or analyzed locally. Sometimes, these devices communicate with other related devices and act on the information they get from one another. The devices do most of the work without human intervention, although people can interact with the devices — for instance, to set them up, give them instructions or access the data.

The connectivity, networking, and communication protocols used with these web-enabled devices largely depend on the specific IoT applications deployed.

IoT can also make use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to aid in making data collecting processes easier and more dynamic.

Why IoT is important

The internet of things helps people live and work smarter, as well as gain complete control over their lives. In addition to offering smart devices to automate homes, IoT is essential to business. IoT provides businesses with a real-time look into how their systems really work, delivering insights into everything from the performance of machines to supply chain and logistics operations.

IoT enables companies to automate processes and reduce labor costs. It also cuts down on waste and improves service delivery, making it less expensive to manufacture and deliver goods, as well as offering transparency into customer transactions.

As such, IoT is one of the most important technologies of everyday life, and it will continue to pick up steam as more businesses realize the potential of connected devices to keep them competitive.

Security and Privacy In order to address the security issues associated with the IoT, researchers like Brumfitt et al. recommended that there is need to move away from the traditional view of security that focuses on transport, physical, cryptography, and application security since the approach is not ideal for IoT. The researcher further recommended that a new security framework that has a lightweight forensic, inter-device coordination, and network-based user interface should be used. On the other hand, Chen et al. (340) proposed an information fusion approach to secure IoT networks.
This approach averages technique found in medical and biological fields to enhance the security of the networks. There are also researchers like Ding et al. who proposed allowing IoT systems to use their autonomous potential to self-organize and defend themselves against security threats. The security of IoT networks can also be assured by implementing secure authentication mechanisms. For example, one can use certificate-based credentials to secure IoT networks. It is, however, important to ensure that appropriate measures are put into consideration when developing a key-based authentication mechanism to minimize the chances of an attacker taking advantage of a week design to bypass the authentication

1. Public Perception: If the IoT is ever going to truly take off, this needs to be the first problem that manufacturers address. The 2015 Icontrol State of the Smart Home study found that 44% of all Americans were “very concerned” about the possibility of their information getting stolen from their smart home, and 27% were “somewhat concerned.” With that level of worry, consumers would hesitate to purchase connected devices.
2. Vulnerability to Hacking: Researchers have been able to hack into real, on-the-market devices with enough time and energy, which means hackers would likely be able to replicate their efforts. For example, a team of researchers at Microsoft and the University of Michigan found a plethora of holes in the security of Samsung’s SmartThings smart home platform, and the methods were far from complex.
3. Are Companies Ready?: AT&T’s Cybersecurity Insights Report surveyed more than 5,000 enterprises around the world and found that 85% of enterprises are in the process of or intend to deploy IoT devices. Yet a mere 10% of those surveyed feel confident that they could secure those devices against hackers.
4. True Security: Jason Porter, AT&T’s VP of security solutions, told Insider Intelligence that securing IoT devices means more than simply securing the actual devices themselves. Companies also need to build security into software applications and network connections that link to those devices.

IoT Privacy Issues

1. Too Much Data: The sheer amount of data that IoT devices can generate is staggering. A Federal Trade Commission report entitled “Internet of Things: Privacy & Security in a Connected World” found that fewer than 10,000 households can generate 150 million discrete data points every day. This creates more entry points for hackers and leaves sensitive information vulnerable.
2. Unwanted Public Profile: You’ve undoubtedly agreed to terms of service at some point, but have you ever actually read through an entire document? The aforementioned FTC report found that companies could use collected data that consumers willingly offer to make employment decisions. For example, an insurance company might gather information from you about your driving habits through a connected car when calculating your insurance rate. The same could occur for health or life insurance thanks to fitness trackers.
3. Eavesdropping: Manufacturers or hackers could actually use a connected device to virtually invade a person’s home. German researchers accomplished this by intercepting unencrypted data from a smart meter device to determine what television show someone was watching at that moment.
4. Consumer Confidence: Each of these problems could put a dent in consumers’ desire to purchase connected products, which would prevent the IoT from fulfilling its true potential.

IoT applications

• Connected Car: This is a quite new concept and expected to come into the limelight slowly. Generally, app development for the automotive industry takes two to four years. Everyone from large-scale automobile companies to small-scale start-ups is working on connected car solutions.
• Smart Home: IoT provides us space where we find comfort and can manage our routine tasks easily in our daily busy life. There are various popular devices for the smart home; include a smart thermostat, connected lights, smart fridge, smart television, smart door lock, etc.
• Smart City: Smart city helps people to avoid the issues of traffic management, social security, environment monitoring, waste management, water distribution, etc. Improved IoT apps will help resolve various issues related to traffic, noise pollution, air pollution, etc., and make cities safer.

The internet of things (IoT) brings with it a wide range of IT security headaches, along with compliance nightmares — and turf wars.