As Australian telecommunications operators continue to expand 5G availability across the country and provide faster mobile internet, the use of IoT through enhanced mobile broadband, massive machine-to-machine communications, and ultra-reliable, low latency communications continues to grow. This has many implications in some of our biggest industries, from IoT sensors in the agriculture industry, to improving manufacturing processes or safety for emergency services with body worn cameras.
Data collection is one of the features of IoT technology, however, managing this data can lead to data security and privacy challenges. In September 2020, the Australian Government implemented a voluntary, principles-based IoT Code (Code of Practice: Securing the Internet of Things for Consumers).(1)
Without mandatory IoT standards, security continues to be an area for improvement for many Australian organisations, with more than 40% reporting having been subject to a network security attack in the last 12 months. Of those that were the target of a network security attack, more than ¼ experienced hacked IoT devices or Denial-of-Service attacks. (2)
Often, IoT intrusions begin with a hacker identifying and penetrating vulnerable devices. As digital tools including cameras, sensors, point of sale (POS) systems, meters, and more are brought online, they present a potential entry point when not properly administered.
Zero trust IoT is essential.
With only explicit connections from a user to a resource being allowed, IoT zero trust standards are critical for ensuring modern WAN security. When bad actors target IoT devices in a factory, restaurant, or police department, the risk of loss is not just from the sensors, meters, or cameras themselves, but that once breached, hackers can then move laterally through the network until more valuable assets are identified.
Zero trust architecture uses site-to-site encryption and can include IoT remote access functions to provide secure communication across sites, vehicles, devices, applications, users, and the cloud. It also enables administrators to isolate user-to-resource access to limit lateral movement, hide IP addresses, build granular policies, and eliminate risky default access.
The need for zero trust IoT security is readily apparent when considering Industrial IoT (IIoT) use cases, where thousands of devices are regularly brought online. This is especially true for locations including auto manufacturing sites, water treatment plants, distribution warehouses, transportation hubs, and healthcare facilities.
For example, a router in a factory might have 20 IoT devices connected to it. With zero trust in place, none of those devices could communicate with each other without explicitly defined permissions, and even then, only through the router.
Secure access for third-party vendors
Few if any organisations rely entirely on employees for daily business operations, typically turning to external contractors, consultants, and other third parties for work — many of which require some degree of network access. In those situations, verifying Wi-Fi connectivity and installing applications would require limited network access, but system-wide access would present unreasonable risk.
Rather than offering the keys to the kingdom, carefully defined user-to-resource connections can be given using a Zero Trust Network Access, or ZTNA, solution. This would allow the vendor to update internet filters but not access to applications where sensitive data could be accessed or altered.
Advanced IoT routers provide software and hardware security and flexibility. Available APIs provide access to alerts, device health, cellular strength and connection quality, and location information for integration through third-party management tools.
Cellular and wide-area networks (WANs) form another vital security layer for IoT devices, which are often deployed far from wires and traditional networks. Connection issues are a common networking concern — even more so for security-related IoT devices, such as building entry systems or video surveillance.
Routers explicitly designed for IoT and cellular or Wireless WAN networks include intelligent software and management features to deliver predictable and sustained connectivity.
In very large IoT deployments, IT staff require highly efficient installation and need to resolve performance issues quickly. Ericsson’s Cradlepoint R980 and S400 routers are designed to provide enterprises with seamless, secure, and scalable connectivity for enabling AI, computer vision, data analysis, and other advanced applications across IoT environments.
Integrated with Ericsson’s NetCloud platform, including NetCloud SASE Secure Connect, these routers offer seamless deployment, management, and robust, zero-trust security across large-scale IoT and vehicle endpoints.
Ericsson’s new Cellular Intelligence features in NetCloud deliver automated processes for deployment and troubleshooting to simplify installation and speed up time to repair. These features include:
- Carrier Selection Intelligence (CSI): Automates the process of selecting the best-performing wireless carrier based on criteria like performance, jitter, and latency, optimising network performance and reducing the need for on-site testing.
- Cellular Health Events Monitoring: Delivers deep insights into cellular network performance, helping enterprises troubleshoot issues more effectively by correlating signal trends with changes in carrier tower and bands.
As AI and advanced applications continue to transform industries and daily operations, the demand for secure and resilient connectivity beyond traditional branch environments is becoming increasingly critical. Ericsson’s new routers address increasing demand for secure and reliable Wireless WAN, as enterprises expand advanced technology across IoT.