With the number of connected IoT devices expected to soon dwarf the number of smartphones and tablets combined, it’s clear that the Internet of Things (IoT) is here to stay.
Here are our top three predictions of what to expect in 2017 and beyond, as enterprises look to gain business insights at the intelligent edge from their connected enterprise:
1. More attacks on devices on the edge
While more security features will be built into IoT devices in 2017, making IoT inherently more secure, a large number of existing and new devices will be used as the platform to launch targeted breaches and DDoS attacks. In 2016 we have seen several major DDoS attacks using IoT devices such as IP cameras and SOHO routers. IoT sensors, with their limited computing power are as secure as the firmware running on them, with their security very much dependent on device manufacturers. Successful attacks on IoT sensors are difficult to detect because of the limited access to a device’s system state, and in 2017 we will see more attackers focusing on compromising exactly those edge devices. With proper policy enforcement and network access control, enterprises can ensure a stronger security posture for their business.
2. Intelligent cars will talk to their ecosystems – in real time
In collaboration with large car manufacturers and automotive engineering companies, we believe that intelligent car developments will enable cars to communicate with their ecosystems in real time. These developments will give drivers access to a wealth of convenience and security features. Of these, expect to one day have your car come with an “invisible concierge” that will correct irregularities automatically in real time. For example, being able to automatically close the open sun roof in your car when you forget to do so after locking your car doors.
3. Manufacturing can be configured with Industrial IoT
We anticipate that Industrial IoT will break new ground, and not only increase the efficiency of factories, but also fundamentally change the way that manufacturing firms produce and do business. In the future, we anticipate that car orders with unique requirements can be made more efficiently by configuring the entire supply chain on the fly, with car deliveries happening in days instead of months. For manufacturing firms, this means the digitization of plans to develop new forms of value creation and collaboration.
The power of IoT is its ability to capture data that is important to your business and your customers, gain insight into the data, and use that insight to improve business results. In the years to come, the impact of the IoT will expand exponentially as we increase our understanding of the data that we collect daily from the intelligent edge, and our ability to transform it into valuable information that can be acted upon.