IoT Alliance to launch first-ever security guides


James Riley
Editorial Director

The Internet of Things Alliance Australia (IoTAA) will unveil Australia’s first ever IoT Security Awareness Guides during a special webinar event on Wednesday morning covering the trinity of security, safety and privacy.

Enex TestLab managing director and IoTAA Cyber Security Workstream chair Matt Tett said the Alliance would release two guides, the first aimed at users – whether retail consumers or business organisations – and the second aimed a IoT device-makers and software developers.

“These are very simple guides. They’re not guidelines or frameworks or standards,” Mr Tett told InnovationAus. “It is eight to 10 pages with eight to ten tips on some of the traps and pitfalls that people need to think about in terms of IoT security, safety and privacy.”

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Plain-talking IoT cyber guides: The IoT Alliance is set to release the first ever awareness guide

“We’re not trying to put people off from digitising their world, but we certainly do want them to start learning what to look out for before they actually buy a product, and how to better protect themselves before they put into their environment,” he said.

“[The guide] aims to deliver actionable outcomes without spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt. It’s vendor neutral; we’re not saying go out and buy this thing or that thing.”

“The tips are all low-cost, easy to apply and takes them to the next rung on the security ladder,” Mr Tett said.

The guides will be launched through a special webinar event from 11am on Wednesday 24. You can register for the free event here.

IOTAA chief executive Frank Zeichner says the guides are being released as the proliferation of devices across the network continues to accelerate.

SecurityToday researchers report that there are 127 new IoT devices connected to the web every second and experts estimate there were approximately 31 billion IoT device installations in 2020,” Mr Zeichner said.

“The figures were staggering to begin with, and we have seen firsthand how the pandemic has expedited the adoption of IoT devices, by consumers and industry alike.”

Matt Tett said the second of the guides was aimed at IoT producers, whether they are a small developer or multinational.

“Again, it’s eight to 10 pages with tips on what they can do to really commence the process of embedding, safety and privacy by design into their IoT,” he said.

“This is rather than falling into the same pitfalls that ICT is in, where they are always trying to bolt security on retrospectively and continually fall over themselves in exposing consumers to security hazards.”

IoTAA’s Frank Zeichner and Matt Tett will both make presentation to the webinar. Other speakers include Accenture’s managing director for communications, media and technology Eric Bruzek; Department of Home Affairs assistant secretary for technology policy Jill Ogden; Office of the eSafety Commissioner director Julia Fossi; ACANN chief executive Teresa Corbin; and AustCyber’s WA Innovation Hub director Dr Ian Martinus.

You can register here for the free Internet of Things Security Awareness Guide launch.

Do you know more? Contact James Riley via Email.

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