INFOGRAPHIC
Shadow IoT devices a major
concern for corporate networks,
Infoblox research finds
New research from Infoblox
reveals the dangers
presented by IOT devices to
enterprise networks.
I
nfoblox, a leader in Secure Cloud-
Managed Network Services, has
announced new research that exposes
the significant threat posed by shadow IoT
devices on enterprise networks. The report,
entitled What’s Lurking in the Shadows
2020, surveyed 2,650 IT professionals
including the UAE to understand the state of
shadow IoT in modern enterprises.
Shadow IT devices are defined as IoT
devices or sensors in active use within an
organisation without IT’s knowledge. Shadow
IoT devices can be any number of connected
technologies including laptops, mobile
phones, tablets, fitness trackers or smart
home gadgets like voice assistants that are
managed outside of the IT department.
The survey found that over the past
12 months, a staggering 80% of IT
professionals discovered shadow IoT devices
connected to their network and nearly one
third (29%) found more than 20.
The global report revealed that, in
addition to the devices deployed by
the IT team, organisations around the
world have countless personal devices,
such as personal laptops, mobile phones
and fitness trackers, connecting to their
network. The majority of enterprises (78%)
have more than 1,000 devices connected
to their corporate networks.
“The amount of shadow IoT devices
lurking on networks has reached pandemic
proportions, and IT leaders need to act
now before the security of their business
22
INTELLIGENTCIO
is seriously compromised,” said Malcolm
Murphy, Technical Director, EMEA at Infoblox.
“Personal IoT devices are easily discoverable
by cybercriminals, presenting a weak entry
point into the network and posing a serious
security risk to the organisation,” he added.
“Without a full view of the security policies
of the devices connected to their network, IT
teams are fighting a losing battle to keep the
ever-expanding network perimeter safe.”
Nearly nine in 10 IT leaders (89%) were
particularly concerned about shadow IoT
devices connected to remote or branch
locations of the business.
“As workforces evolve to include
more remote and branch offices and
enterprises continue to go through Digital
Transformations, organisations need to focus
on protecting their cloud-hosted services the
same way in which they do at their main
offices,” the report recommends. “If not,
enterprise IT teams will be left in the dark
and unable to have visibility over what’s
lurking on their networks.”
“
THE AMOUNT
OF SHADOW IOT
DEVICES LURKING
ON NETWORKS
HAS REACHED
PANDEMIC
PROPORTIONS.
Ashraf Sheet, Regional Director Middle East
and Africa at Infoblox
To manage the security threat posed by
shadow IoT devices to the network, 89%
of organisations have introduced a security
policy for personal IoT devices. While
most respondents believe these policies
to be effective, levels of confidence range
significantly across regions. For example,
58% of IT professionals in the Netherlands
feel their security policy for personal IoT
devices is very effective, compared to just
over a third (34%) of respondents in Spain.
Ashraf Sheet, Regional Director Middle
East and Africa at Infoblox, said: “In the
Middle East, awareness of the risk of
shadow IoT devices has grown significantly,
yet IoT devices remain an open portal
for cybercriminals looking to attack a
network. It’s clear that regional businesses
are prioritising safety, but they are still
bogged down by a lack of skilled staff and
the increasing number of shadow devices
connecting to their infrastructure. Because of
this, network and security professionals must
actively manage the threat introduced by
shadow devices and integrate new network
security solutions.”
Read the full report here:
www.infoblox.com/resources/whitepapers/
whats-lurking-in-the-shadows-2020. n
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