Identifying Challenges to Enterprise Adoption of IoT

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By Darshan Mulki for Mouser Electronics

Published May 4, 2023

The Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as one of the most prominent technologies of the 21st century. Through low-cost computing, analytics, big data, and cloud and mobile technologies, devices can interact and collect data with the lowest degree of human assistance. IoT-based technologies already play significant roles in many different markets and industries and increasingly enhance people’s daily lives. However, as with any developing technology, several challenges may keep organizations from successfully integrating IoT devices and systems. Though the benefits outweigh the obstacles, it’s necessary to understand the challenges that come with IoT development. This blog will identify several barriers that organizations need to consider and overcome to successfully integrate IoT across the enterprise.

Security

IoT systems and devices must connect securely to avoid cyberattacks, but the scale and variety of IoT devices can make it quite challenging for designers to integrate them into existing organizational security systems. IoT devices that fail to connect securely and encrypt the data they transfer can fall prey to hackers who enter the connected devices’ networks and steal sensitive information.

Many IoT devices rely on application programming interfaces (APIs) and open-source code, making them susceptible to security issues if these elements contain vulnerabilities—and these vulnerabilities can be difficult to detect. For example, APIs are often invisible to the end user and may not be well-documented, making it challenging to identify vulnerabilities. Once a vulnerability is discovered in an API or open-source component, it can be used to compromise multiple IoT devices that are using the same component. This can lead to a widespread security incident and make it difficult to contain the damage.

Plus, different devices may use different APIs, protocols, open-source-code, or data formats, which can prevent organizations from implementing security measures that work across all devices. To mitigate these risks, system administrators must keep IoT devices updated with the latest security patches, and users need to employ strong, unique passwords and be aware of phishing emails or suspicious links.

Design and Deployment

Designing IoT devices requires a balance between functionality, security, scalability, and interoperability, which can be a complex process. Developing an IoT device quickly can lead to a rush to market, which may result in insufficient testing, weak security features, and a lack of standardization. Additionally, IoT devices are often built using a variety of different technologies, some of which may become outdated quickly. This can make it difficult to stay ahead of the competition and to ensure the device is up to date with the latest technologies.

Once deployed, IoT devices often rely on wireless connections through technologies such as Wi-Fi^® or cellular protocols like 5G, which can be affected by physical obstacles, distance, and interference. Poor connectivity can impede the function of the sensors and the transmission of data.

Collecting and processing this data are essential aspects of IoT. As more devices are connected to the internet, this massive amount of data can become overwhelming, making it difficult to manage and analyze the data in a timely and effective manner.

Conclusion

IoT has already gained a foothold in everyday life, revolutionizing the way we live and work, but there remain challenges organizations must overcome to realize its full potential. Using secure communication protocols and implementing device management platforms can help in overcoming these challenges. Conducting regular security audits, penetration testing, and timely software and firmware updates also play a crucial role in mitigating security risks. Additionally, data governance strategies and proper implementation of network architectures will ensure scalability and reliability. Organizations must approach IoT deployment in a well-planned and structured manner to ensure their IoT systems deliver the intended benefits and results.