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The extended internet of things is broad web, touching on almost every aspect of our lives, from healthcare to industry. By its connected nature, though, the XIoT can be particularly vulnerable to a range of cyber security threats.
So it’s probably a good thing, according to a recent report by Claroty’s Team82, that this environment has gotten significantly more secure over the last 18 months.
Claroty’s researchers found that after peaking in the second half of 2021, the number of disclosed cyber-physical system vulnerabilities declined by 14 per cent one year later. At the same time, the number of vulnerabilities found by internal security and research teams increased by 80 per cent.
These numbers stress the importance of such internal teams, and the impact they are having on XIoT security, according to Team82’s State of XIoT Security Report.
“Cyber-physical systems power our way of life. The water we drink, the energy that heats our homes, the medical care we receive — all of these rely on computer code and have a direct link to real-world outcomes,” said Amir Preminger, vice-president of research at Claroty.
“The purpose of Team82’s research and compiling this report is to give decision makers in these critical sectors the information they need to properly assess, prioritise, and address risks to their connected environments, so it is very heartening that we are beginning to see the fruits of vendors’ and researchers’ labour in the steadily growing number of disclosures sourced by internal teams. This shows that vendors are embracing the need to secure cyber-physical systems by dedicating time, people, and money to not only patching software and firmware vulnerabilities, but also to product security teams overall.”
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.