#internet of things testing

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Why should IoT Systems Undergo Security Testing?

The Internet of Things or IoT has swept the realm of technology and become mainstream as far as automation is concerned. Its popularity is attributable to features such as communication between machines, easy usage, and the integration of various devices, enabling technologies, and protocols.

When one talks about smart cities, smart transport, smart healthcare, or smart homes, the role of IoT is paramount.  According to Gartner, the number of connected things courtesy IoT is projected to reach 20.8 billion by 2020. Since IoT is about connected products that communicate with each other and share a huge volume of data, it is vulnerable to security breaches. With greater digitization and a rush towards delivering smart devices to add more comfort to people’s lives, businesses may end up keeping their flanks uncovered. The threats related to cybersecurity, besides threatening the smooth functioning of the digital ecosystem, are putting a question mark on the implementation of the IoT ecosystem.

The future is likely to be driven by smart systems with IoT at their core. Since such systems will witness a huge exchange of data, their security needs to be ensured. Also, as the smooth functioning of such smart systems will hinge on the accuracy and integrity of data, enabling IoT security at every step of the way should be the norm. If statistics are to be believed then around 84% of companies adopting IoT have reported security breaches of some kind (Source: Stoodnt.com.) The resident vulnerabilities in such systems are exploited by cybercriminals to exhibit malicious behavior such as committing credit card theft, phishing and spamming, distributed denial of service attacks, and malware distribution, among others.

How to conduct IoT security testing effectively

The security implications of a vulnerable or broken IoT system can be catastrophic for individuals, businesses, and entities. The devices and the transfer of data within them should be monitored by the implementing agency to check for a data breach. The best ways to conduct IoT security is as follow:

Checking of endpoints: As more devices or endpoints are added to expand the network, more vulnerabilities are created. Since IoT systems are built using devices of different configurations, computing and storage power, and running on different versions and types of operating systems, every such device should be evaluated for safety. An inventory of such devices should be made and tracked.

Authentication: Care should be taken that the vendor-supplied default passwords for specific systems should be dealt with at the beginning. If not, these can be exploited by hackers to take control of the IoT ecosystem and wreak havoc. Moreover, every device in the IoT system should be authenticated before being plugged into the network. This should be made an integral part of the internet of things testing.

Firewalls: The firewall present in the network should be tested for its capability of filtering specific data range and controlling traffic. Also, data aimed at terminating the device to ensure its optimal performance should be tested.

Encryption: Since IoT systems transmit data among themselves they should be encrypted for safety. During testing IoT applications the encryption approach and nitty-gritty should be thoroughly checked and validated. If not, then while relaying the location of assets in the IoT system, the information can be easily read by a hacker.

Compliance: Mere testing of IoT devices is not complete unless compliance with standards like FCC and ETSI/CE is carried out. These regulations and standards have been instituted to validate the performance of the IoT devices based on certain parameters. So, any IoT testing approach should take into account compliance with such regulations.

Why IoT systems should undergo security testing?

The smart devices forming part of the IoT system need to undergo IoT testing (security) to:

Prevent data theft: The unsecured endpoints within the system can leave a trail for hackers to strike but for the IoT device testing solutions. The vulnerabilities can be used to break into the controlling mechanism of the system in order to launch more malicious forms of attacks.

Protect brand equity: When scores of companies are competing with each other to get a pie of the IoT market, a security breach or malware attack can put a brand in jeopardy. With IoT penetration testing, such attacks can be pre-empted with the elimination of vulnerabilities and glitches.

 Conclusion

The IoT ecosystem is projected to grow at a humongous pace and scale. Technology companies having an integrated IoT security testing approach are likely to earn a huge chunk of the pie. The approach when executed at regular intervals should be able to help enterprises achieve growth across domains.  

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Advantages and Best Practices in IoT Testing for a Smart World

With the advent of the internet, people have started looking for ways to revolutionize it. As smartphones marched into our lives, people discovered new ways to utilize the internet. Mobile solutions have proven to be a game changer. Internet of Things aims to integrate all possible devices and technologies around us – televisions, watches, home appliances, laptops and even lights. All these 'smart devices' will interact with one another to provide a seamless experience.

Like every other internet based service or application, every device in the network of IoT has to be tested. There are four main aspects which make a device 'smart':

·         The ability to communicate through internet connectivity

·         The ability to sense using built-in sensors

·         The use of electronic parts in the device to adapt and interact with the environment

·         Assigning a unique identity and functionality for  the device

Opportunities of Internet of Things Testing

 There is enough reason for all major companies to go crazy over IoT. It provides extremely efficient Machine to Machine (M2M) communication to simplify our lifestyle. Some of the main IoT testing opportunities are as follows:

·         Payments through NFC – With the progress in technology, the world is also moving to keep up with the latest developments. Nowadays, popular banks, toll booths and retail shops accept NFC payments where one can make seamless payments with NFC tags simply by using their mobile phones.

·         Apple Pay and Android Pay – All the major operating systems like Android and iOS now support wireless payment methods, where people can carry their debit or credit cards digitally on their phones and make secure payments in stores. Most of the major stores have already started accepting wireless payment methods using NFC. Even banks like Bank of America and JP Morgan accept wireless payment.

·         Proper Integration between Bank Accounts and Apps – It always helps to have a digital transaction methods right from the phone. It is easier than carrying a lot of cash around.

·         Payment through other Digital Devices – Nowadays, people can even make payments through smartwatches and wearables, all thanks to the concept of IoT, which aims at bringing a smarter solution to all your daily objects of use.

·         Analyzing Customer Behavior – ATM card transactions, retail store payments, NFC usage can be studied to offer tailored customer services and offers.

Best Practices in IoT Testing

IoT testing requires rigorous tests to ensure quality of the IoT services. Some of the best practices for testing are mentioned below.

·         Availability of a well-defined requirements along with a comprehensive, robust test plan, where Unit and Integration testing brings tremendous relevance

·         Modern platforms can provide efficient communication and can process valid information from large amount of raw data, thus maintaining good timing and proper systems framework

·         QA testing team could also use the best in class tools, simulators, viewers and consoles for proper execution of the project

·         Having a profound understanding of the operating system, hardware, architecture, protocols and also being able to determine their limitations can help

·         Embedding the mainstream functionalities into a strong backend can enable them at ease in the testing process

Although IoT has been there for a year or so, it has been gaining a lot of popularity lately. Today, companies are actively investing in this technology to contribute to a smarter way of living in various ways – smart cities, smart retail, smart safety measures, smart homes, etc. People can now control the lights from their smartphones, lock a door, make a wireless payment, control the temperature of a room, thanks to IoT and its interconnected ecosystem and the innovations these companies are doing in this field.