Addressing the Internet of Things

Security Industry Association (SIA)

The Internet of Things (IoT) is having a bigger and bigger impact on the security industry.

As more devices come online, many of them contribute pertinent security information merely through the regular reporting of their status. Companies are using this information in devices and security systems to garner more situational intelligence.

There are fundamental risks, however, associated with this more connected world. A high-profile example in industrial security involved a conference room thermostat being hacked and reprogrammed to become a listening device—without the knowledge of the facility. While this appears like a plot item from a Hollywood film, this is real—and our industry must be able to harness the benefits of IoT while mitigating risks.

That’s why last year, the Security Industry Association (SIA) expanded the portfolio of a Standards subcommittee to directly address IoT concerns. And now the SIA Cloud, Mobility and IoT Subcommittee has released an 8-point charter document, detailing why the subcommittee exists.

Below are a few points the charter covers:

  • IoT devices will use one of several communications standards originating outside the security industry—namely, by IoT vendors, consortia and the dominant Silicon Valley players (Google, Apple, Cisco).
  • Interconnectivity holds the promise of enhancing security; however, there are new and emerging risks that will need to be addressed (like cybersecurity, large-scale failures, performance, signal priority, etc.). The security industry is well-positioned identify and provide leadership to mitigate these risks.
  • The SIA Standards Committee has an advisory and educational role in addition to its standards-making role. Therefore, given the significance of IoT and its dependence on technical standards, it is within our charter to provide guidance to our constituents on how IoT is relevant to industry.

To review the full charter, please visit the subcommittee page.

Members of the SIA Cloud, Mobility and IoT Subcommittee will meet next on Sept. 28 at ASIS 2015 in Anaheim, Calif.

Interested in getting involved with the subcommittee?

Contact Joe Gittens, SIA director of standards, at jgittens@securityindustry.org.