Securing the Internet of Things

The article discusses the evolution of the internet from computers to smartphones and now to Internet of Things (IoT) devices, which are expected to grow tremendously in number. It highlights the security risks associated with IoT devices and how NIST is working on defining requirements for IoT device security. The author announces Cloudflare's new IoT platform aimed at providing a single pane-of-glass view over IoT devices, provisioning connectivity for new devices, and securing every device from the moment it powers on. The article also mentions how IoT devices are not limited to simple objects like lightbulbs but include payment terminals, modern cars, and industrial devices that require cellular connectivity. Cloudflare's IoT Platform will support provisioning cellular connectivity at scale, ensuring secure communication between IoT devices and the internet or cloud infrastructure. The platform also extends Zero Trust security to IoT devices by allowing developers to better restrict and control what endpoints their devices talk to. Finally, the article discusses how Cloudflare's platform enables keeping compute off the device while still keeping it close to the device thanks to its global network, reducing deployment risk and improving operational efficiency.