The most recent Thought Leadership Council (TLC) survey finds that communications service providers (CSPs) that are specialists in the Internet of Things (IoT) think they are doing quite well with their Internet security plans and implementation, though most still believe there is room for improvement.

Denise Culver, Online Research Director

March 5, 2018

2 Min Read
Service Providers Get High Marks for IoT Security

Any organization that's considering implementing Internet of Things (IoT) will quickly learn two things: IoT creates a ton of new opportunities and IoT introduces a ton of security issues.

But the overwhelming majority of IoT specialists in Heavy Reading's Thought Leadership Council (TLC) say service providers are doing a really good job of preparing their networks for IoT security, as found in the newest TLC report, IoT Focus Group: Service Providers Assured About IoT Security. Council members, who are experts in IoT, were asked a series of ten questions about the state of IoT security in terms of technology, revenues and budgeting and future expectations.

In fact, 77% of TLC members gave their companies either an A or B grade for overall knowledge regarding security for IoT. One TLC member who gave an A score explained, "Many companies focus only a single component of a security solution, whereas our knowledge spans end to end. Also, our company has a long history of investigating security breaches to provide insight into threats and the current state of IoT security."

Only 15% of TLC members said their customers expect them to provide all IoT security. By and large, forum members said, service providers are expected to provide IoT security, but their customers also are taking precautions on their end to secure IoT. One panelist drew the following correlation, "A homeowner can install a great lock on the door, but the he still needs to take precautions, such as utilizing the provided security mechanisms (i.e., turning the door lock) and making sure that other risks are addressed (such as remembering to close and lock windows, unplug the coffee pot, etc.)."

Another key takeaway in the report is that almost 40% of TLC members expect that their service provider companies will never experience an IoT security breach. One such panelist said, "We have cutting-edge technology to prevent a breach." The remaining TLC members injected a bit more reality into the picture by stating that IoT breaches have already occurred or they expect them to within the next two years.

TLC is a Heavy Reading research initiative that consists of panels of CSP experts focused on key areas of telecom development, including B/OSS transformation, SD-WAN, automation, 5G, Emerging Technologies & Services (Project 2025) and IoT. Members participate in Q&A forums several times a year, and all information disclosed by Council members remains anonymous.

— Denise Culver, Director of Online Research, Heavy Reading

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About the Author(s)

Denise Culver

Online Research Director

Denise manages Heavy Reading's Thought Leadership Council, which uses a focus group approach to glean insights from CSPs on topics ranging from automation, IoT, 5G, B/OSS transformation, SD-WAN and emerging technologies. Additionally, Denise covers the test and measurement industry as an analyst, focusing on how T&M vendors are addressing telco transformation, as well as the impact that technologies such as IoT are having on service provider networks. Denise also continues to oversee development of Light Reading's Pedia projects, including Virtuapedia and Testapedia. Previously, she was a Contributing Analyst with Heavy Reading for seven years, covering a wide range of areas, including mobile, IP transformation and T&M. Her career in technology journalism began in 1996, and she is a past winner of the American Business Media Association's Jesse Neal Award for editorial achievement. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University.

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