Intelligent CIO Europe Issue 26 | Page 77

t cht lk TECH TALK /////////////////////////////////////////////////// PROTECTING THE IOT- DRIVEN NETWORK – A MULTI-STAGE APPROACH As the volume and complexity of devices on a network increases exponentially, many organisations are struggling to secure this rapidly expanding attack surface. Simon Wilson, CTO HPE Aruba UK and Ireland, provides invaluable advice on deploying a multi-stage strategy to ensure protecting vulnerable IoT-driven networks. T he Internet of Things (IoT) is more than just the next stage in technical development. For many businesses it represents a valuable source of data which can be used to gain new insight into processes, operations and customer activity. Offering the potential to spot and fix inefficiencies, identify new revenue streams and much more, it has real economic potential for those who are able to correctly develop, network and generate an investment return. However, crucial to the realisation of this potential is security. As the breadth and complexity of devices on the network www.intelligentcio.com continues to grow at a staggering rate, many organisations are struggling to secure this rapidly expanding attack surface. If they are unable to get a handle on the situation, then it will prove difficult to tap into the efficiencies and outcomes which make any IoT investment worthwhile. Of course, this isn’t the first time IT teams have faced a device-based security challenge – the rise of BYOD and remote working both introduced an influx of mobile devices into the business environment for IT to deal with. And the way we got through it then is the same as we will now – by taking three simple steps to ensure a secured network. “ SECURITY IS NOT A BARRIER TO IOT ADOPTION, IT IS THE CORNERSTONE FOR SUCCESSFUL ADOPTION. INTELLIGENTCIO 77