IoT, or the Internet of things has completely transformed how organizations operate and how people interact with technology. Smart home devices, wearable devices, industrial sensors, connected medical equipment, etc., are some common examples of how these IoT devices are deeply embedded in our everyday lives.

Projections by Statista estimate there will be around 31 billion installed IoT devices by 2030 globally, dramatically expanding the attack surface for cyber threats. Each of these connected devices can serve as an individual entry point for attackers. This increasing vulnerability has made IoT security a core element of cybersecurity in 2026. Let us dive deeper and try to understand IoT security in detail, understanding various challenges, threats, and best practices.

What Is IoT Security in Cybersecurity?

IoT security in cybersecurity is the practice of protecting connected devices, networks, and data from cyber threats throughout the entire IoT lifecycle, from device manufacturing to deployment and decommissioning.

The global IoT security market is projected to reach $33.93 billion in 2026 and grow to $56.2 billion by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.4 % (Source: Markets and markets).

Unlike traditional security measures, IoT security is accountable for a wide range of connected heterogeneous devices that have limited computing power and long operational hours.

Therefore, IoT security has to cover everything, right from endpoint security to secure authentication and communication. Its goal is to ensure the CIA triad across the entire IoT ecosystem.

How Does the IoT Ecosystem Work?

When we talk about the IoT ecosystem, let us briefly understand how it works. Typically, three core components, including devices (and sensors), communication networks, and backend platforms or applications, constitute the IoT ecosystem.

• Devices collect data from the environment
• Data is then transmitted via protocols like MQTT, CoAP, or HTTP to gateways or cloud platforms
• These platforms store and process data to facilitate automation, insights, or decision-making,

Vulnerabilities can arise in any stage, be it the device, during transmission, or in the platform itself. This requires IoT security take a holistic approach covering every component. The best cybersecurity certifications and courses cover the concept of IoT systems and security in detail, as they are now the essential cybersecurity component in the modern threat environment.

What Are the Most Common IoT Security Threats?

Common IoT security threats include weak authentication, insecure communication, firmware vulnerabilities, and large-scale botnet-driven DDoS attacks. These risks arise due to poor device security, lack of updates, and exposure to public networks.

1. Weak authentication

   All the IoT devices come with easy-to-crack credentials like admin, admin123, 123456, or weak authentication mechanisms. Attackers can easily exploit these weaknesses to gain unauthorized access.

2. Insecure communication channels

   If data transmitted is not properly secured and encrypted, then it can be easily intercepted and manipulated. Legacy protocols and improper encryption are common problems in IoT deployments.

3. Physical device tampering

   IoT devices are available in public or even remote locations. It makes them highly vulnerable as they can be accessed physically and can be cloned or attacked on hardware.

4. Botnets and DDoS Attacks

   IoT devices that are compromised are used as botnets to carryout large-scale DDoS attacks. Such attacks disrupt critical services and lead to the outage of important services.

5. Firmware and software vulnerabilities

   With the rapid evolution of technology, we can see more advanced and capable IoT devices. Because of this, old models are left with outdated or unpatched firmware that creates IoT security vulnerabilities.

What Are the Biggest Challenges in IoT Security?

The cybersecurity domain has become highly efficient. Professionals can now execute AI security efficiently, protecting vulnerable AI systems. Then what are the key challenges coming in the way to safeguard IoT devices?

Well, IoT security is very complicated because of its structure.

For instance, there is a lack of standardization across devices and vendors that leads to inconsistent security requirements. Then there are resource constraints such as limited memory, processing/computing power, and battery life. These limitations are a huge obstacle to implementing traditional security controls for them. This also makes learning cybersecurity important for everyone to address critical challenges effectively.

Third, IoT devices have long lifecycles that go beyond the security practices that were implemented at the time of deployment of these devices.

Finally, supply chain risks such as compromised components or insecure manufacturing processes further make implementing IoT security challenging.

What Are the Core Principles of IoT Security?

• Secure-by-design

  Security should be embedded right from the time the device is designed. This secure-by-design approach includes threat modeling, secure coding practices, and integrating security at the hardware level.

• Strong device identity and authentication

  To keep IoT devices fully secured, it is essential that each of them has a unique and verifiable identity. For example, authentication based on certificates or identities related to hardware can significantly reduce the risk of impersonation and unauthorized access.

• Data protection and encryption

  Another important element of IoT security in cybersecurity is protecting data, both at rest and in transit. For this, strong encryption and key management are necessary to protect from data breaches and tampering.

• Least privilege and access control

  This is a key principle for the entire cybersecurity efforts and not just IoT. This means devices and users should have only the permissions they need. Segmenting the network and providing access control based on role can also minimize the impact of a compromised device.

What Are IoT Security Best Practices for Organizations?

Here are some ways organizations can secure their IoT devices through IoT security best practices. This also necessitates a structured cybersecurity learning for employees to ensure proper security is in place.

1. Device-level security

   This involves implementing secure boot mechanisms so that devices run only trusted firmware. Disabling unnecessary services and interfaces and leveraging hardware roots of trust is recommended where possible.

2. Network-level security

   Use firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and implement secure gateways to monitor and control IoT traffic. Try to keep IoT networks separate from important IT systems to avoid potential breaches.

3. Cloud and application security

   It is essential to implement IoT security at the platform level, which involves securing APIs, enforcing strong authentication, and monitoring cloud environments for suspicious activities. Logging and analytics can help detect anomalies early

4. Patch and vulnerability management

   Enable secure over-the-air (OTA) updates and establish clear processes to assess vulnerabilities regularly. Patching vulnerabilities in right time can reduce risk significantly.

Emerging Technologies, Regulations, and Compliance

When it comes to IoT security in cybersecurity, the emerging technologies also play a very important role in strengthening security.

For instance, AI and machine learning can be used to detect anomalies and identify threats in real time. Similarly, zero-trust architecture is also used across organizations for IoT, where no devices are trusted by default.

Also, government regulations and standards are influencing IoT security. Necessary frameworks such as NIST or ETSI EN 303 645 improve the baseline of security by guiding secure development and deployment.

Most importantly, organizations should see compliance as a starting point and not a complete solution. They must try to go beyond compliance and address evolving cyber threats.

Final thoughts!

IoT security is essential to keep trust intact in the rapidly growing world of IoT and interconnected devices. Organizations across industries are using IoT devices in some form or another, and this has led to a greater number of insecure devices, increased attack surface, and DDoS attacks. Therefore, organizations must implement core IoT security principles and follow best practices to keep their devices and data protected.

The USCSI® offers the Certified Cybersecurity Consultant (CCC™) cybersecurity certification that empowers professionals with essential cybersecurity skills and knowledge to design and implement IoT security principles, along with cryptographic techniques, and how to use machine learning and AI in cybersecurity across their organization.