The use of malicious software to attack IoT devices like smart home security monitoring systems is rising substantially and growing more sophisticated as cyber criminals take advantage of lax security, Nokia’s Threat Intelligence Report 2019 warned on Tuesday.

Driven by financial and other nefarious purposes, IoT botnet activity accounted for 78% of malware detection events in communication service provider (CSP) networks in 2018, according to the report, which is based on data aggregated from monitoring network traffic this year on more than 150 million devices globally where Nokia’s NetGuard Endpoint Security product is deployed.

That is up sharply from 33% in 2016, when IoT botnets were first seen in meaningful numbers. A botnet is a system of computers that can be infected with malicious software and controlled by a single computer for doing things like stealing bank account information and shuttering web sites.

Source: Nokia’s Threat Intelligence Report 2019 warns on the fast-growing and evolving threat of malicious software targeting Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to revolutionise the way companies across various industries carry out their business, and organisations are rapidly getting on board. According to an IDC survey, over half of respondents said they intended to do something within IoT in the next twelve months, although the data also showed that current adoption is low.

Manufacturing has been picked out by many experts as one of the industries set to benefit significantly from IoT. The industry has reacted accordingly, being forecast to spend big on the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) this year. Making the most of these capex dollars, however, is another matter. Manufacturers may have many qualities, but the variety of specialist skills needed to successfully design, deploy and manage an IoT solution are ones they’re not likely to possess. For those manufacturers looking to take advantage of increased productivity, reduced wastage and real-time insight, all is not lost; within the channel there are a number of partners who can fill the manufacturer’s skills gap and help them to take advantage of Industry 4.0.

Source: How manufacturers are innovating with the Internet of Things | ITProPortal

The “Internet of Things” has created all sorts of problems on the cybersecurity front — and the problem may get worse soon.

The Internet of Things, commonly called IoT in tech circles, is the concept of conventional, physical objects being linked to the internet and communicating with each other — think, for instance, of automobiles or appliances that are linked to the internet.

But just like computers that are connected to the internet, those networked devices can be hacked.

Source: The ‘Internet of Things’ will cause more security problems next year, exec warns | CNBC

A House lawmaker wants federal agencies to prioritize cybersecurity when buying internet-connected devices.

The Internet of Things Federal Cybersecurity Improvement Act, which Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., plans to introduce next week, would require all internet-connected devices purchased by the government to meet a set of basic cybersecurity standards. The bill would also pressure agencies to avoid using so-called lowest technically acceptable price criteria when choosing vendors for those devices.

Under the legislation, the government could only buy devices that accept security patches and allow users to change passwords. Vendors would also need to notify agencies of any security vulnerabilities they discover and issue software update as new threats arise.

Source: Upcoming Bill Would Lock Down Agencies’ Internet-Connected Devices | Nextgov

A new international standard has been produced for the Internet of Things, signifying the growing use of connected technology and the need for a global commonality of practice for the various types of emerging technologies.

The new standard is ISO/IEC 30141, Internet of Things (IoT) – Reference architecture, and it sets out to provide an internationally standardized IoT Reference Architecture using a common vocabulary, reusable designs and industry best practice.

Source: New international standard for the Internet of Things | Digital Journal

By 2020, the Internet of Things (IoT) is predicted to generate an additional $344B in revenues, as well as to drive $177B in cost reductions. IoT and smart devices are already increasing performance metrics of major US-based factories. They are in the hands of employees, covering routine management issues and boosting their productivity by 40-60%.

Source: 9 Internet of Things Predictions for 2019 | BBN Times 

Look through any technology publication or retail catalog, and I bet that you will find something described as “connected,” “smart,” or “intelligent” on every page. From smart digital supply chains to connected refrigerators, intelligent thermostats, and smart razors, the idea of connecting devices to an unlimited variety of things to do things better, safer, faster, and easier has been considered a competitive advantage or critical selling point.

But now that everything possible is connected, is there really anything left for the Internet of Things (IoT) to do? According to recent predictions from IDC and Gartner, now is not the time to discount the IoT as old news. In fact, it’s not yet done changing how businesses run, people go about their daily lives, and the world views what it means to be “connected.”

Source: The Internet of Things: Get Ready For Big Changes Ahead In 2019 | B2C

Our world is being transformed by smart devices. If you have been entrenched in tech news at all recently then you have no doubt heard of the term Internet of Things, or IoT.

The term IoT refers to a gradual trend towards internet-connected devices that will become part of every sphere of our lives. In a grand sense, it is the hope that almost every practical everyday item will have some method of connecting to the internet and communicating with other devices.

We can already see evidence of such progress in the evolution of our smartphones and introduction of smart home devices.

Source: Internet of Things: How Devices Are Evolving | IoT Revolution World 

You may be aware how tech companies, particularly Amazon, are transforming store shelves worldwide by coming the digital aspects of their online store with easy pick up. How literally, shoppers can just purchase items with the click of the mouse and pick them up in stores without waiting in huge lines. You may also be aware of various delivery methods, such as drones making headway in this regard. However, it isn’t just shopping that is becoming digitized or innovative, but the whole process of manufacturing is as well. Manufacturing is a hot topic because it has been a scourge of debate among politicians around the world with local jobs being outsourced in favor of cheap labor overseas and technological innovations “taking over jobs” so to speak.

Source: How Leveraging The Internet Of Things for Manufacturing Can Be A Game Changer | Forbes

The internet of things (IoT) is not only changing how businesses operate, but also how people live. With the wide availability of sensors, cloud and edge infrastructures, platforms, analytics, and more, IoT technology has evolved in recent years. But in 2019, the presence of IoT in the enterprise will transform as a whole, according to Forrester’s Predictions 2019: The Internet of Things report released on Tuesday.

Source: Internet of Things in 2019: Five predictions | TechRepublic