In a digital age where the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices spans across wearables, smart home appliances, urban infrastructure, autonomous vehicles, and various automated systems for commercial and personal use, the specter of cybersecurity threats looms larger than ever. These smart devices, integral to modern conveniences and operational efficiencies, often become the targets of cybercriminals looking to exploit them for malicious purposes. In response to this growing challenge, cybersecurity giant Kaspersky has unveiled its intentions to bolster global IoT device security through a pivotal partnership with Malaysia-based IoT platform innovator, Favoriot.
This collaboration aims to fortify the defenses of IoT ecosystems, which are increasingly interconnected with cloud platforms and business applications. Central to Kaspersky’s strategy is the Kaspersky IoT Secure Gateway 1000 (KISG 1000), powered by the cutting-edge KasperskyOS. This proprietary Cyber Immune operating system is designed to secure IoT device interactions at the gateway level, implementing a ‘secure-by-design’ philosophy that embeds protection features directly into the system’s architecture.
The partnership’s significance was highlighted at the recent Cyber Security Weekend in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where Favoriot’s CEO, Dr. Mazlan Abbas, emphasized the crucial need for specialized security solutions in the IoT domain. He noted that traditional cybersecurity measures fall short of addressing the unique vulnerabilities and diversity of IoT devices. The strategic alliance between Favoriot and Kaspersky, slated for formalization later in the year, is set to concentrate on enhancing the Favoriot IoT platform alongside Kaspersky’s Cyber Immune IoT Gateway, paving the way for a more secure technological future.
Victor Ivanovsky, KasperskyOS Business Development Lead, elaborated on the broader implications of the partnership, underscoring Kaspersky Cyber Immunity’s role in enabling organizations across various sectors—including smart cities, manufacturing, and energy production—to maintain secure IoT systems with comprehensive visibility over all connected devices. The collaboration promises not only to safeguard IoT networks from the gateway to the cloud but also to streamline their management through a centralized administrative console. With a commitment to extending next-generation cyber protection across the Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern, African regions, and beyond, the alliance between Kaspersky and Favoriot marks a significant step forward in securing the interconnected world of tomorrow.
To keep an organization’s IoT suite safe, Kaspersky recommends:
- Change the factory passwords at initial setup, use complex passwords at least 8 characters long, including upper and lower-case letters, numerals, and special characters.
- Use a strict access policy, network segmentation and a zero-trust model. This will help to minimize the spread of an attack and protect the most sensitive parts of the infrastructure.
- Check the IoT Security Maturity Model – an approach that helps companies evaluate all steps and levels they need to pass to achieve a sufficient level of IoT protection.
- Use a dedicated IoT gateway that ensures the inbuilt security and reliability of data transferring, like KISG 1000.
- Use Kaspersky Threat Intelligence as reference to block network connections originating from malicious network addresses detected by security researchers.