Without question, the “human factor” in cybersecurity has become synonymous with phishing attacks, but that perception is a material part of the problem.
Over the past decade we’ve seen an increase in consumer grade IoT devices, but the security of those devices hasn’t always kept pace with the realities of the cyber threats targeting what is arguably an unmanaged computing device. These cyber threats are made more concerning when the expected lifespan of the device is factored in. After all, dishwashers, thermostats and doorbells aren’t devices like smartphones where there is social pressure to have the latest version.
Protecting Argentina’s 9,300-kilometer border with Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay requires significant attention from the Gendarmería Nacional Argentina (GNA), the country's 70,000-person border guard force located in the capital city of Buenos Aires. The GNA, as well as their border force colleagues in neighboring countries, must also grapple with cross-border crime that take advantage of the close ties among the region’s economies. According to Interpol, illicit markets in these border regions may be worth tens of billions of dollars.
From a security perspective, we also tend to look at IoT in the wrong way. With every new device, we assume the technology will be vulnerable with a very high risk of compromise. The reality is that most IoT devices have a very low risk individually, but their functionality is what leaves them susceptible.