Because you know, I’m all about that endpoint, ‘bout that endpoint, no treble

We keep hearing the promise about the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT is the next big trend promising to connect literally every device on the planet to the Internet. Most of this data will be sensitive, personal and operational information – driving a critical requirement to safeguard this information wherever it resides. Gartner predicts that by 2020, IoT will include about 26 Billion units, which means a lot of endpoints hitting your network.

Currently, many security solutions require the installation of software on devices to allow secure access to the network. Sadly, this is inconsistent with IoT, as the system software on most of these devices is quite simplistic. Having a smart refrigerator or DVR might sound innocuous, but a hacker can use insecure appliances and devices to gain access to a network. Once they are in, they can use IoT devices to run Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, as well as mine sensitive personal information using botnets and trojans.

Even when security systems help detect IoT related risks or malware, they often don’t work together to mitigate risks or rectify the situation. In a recent interview between our CEO Kent Elliott and BankInfo Security, Elliott explained: “Most security solutions are silos and they are not working together,” he says. “If you’re going to have a proper solution, you have to have these products working in a more harmonized fashion. That’s one of the challenges [we face] – helping companies we deal with bring together these silos and help them work in a more harmonized fashion.” At Forescout, we offer agentless visibility, which provides more visibility in the network. Once one you know about devices on your network, you will be in a better position to assess risks and take action to remediate vulnerabilities

To learn more about Forescout’s approach to better protect your network with a myriad of devices hitting it, click here. To hear Kent Elliott’s interview, click here.