McAfee outlines strategy for securing the Internet of Things

• About 27 IP-connected devices for every person on Earth will need to be secured and managed
• Security needs to be designed into these devices and not added as an afterthought, says McAfee

INTEL subsidiary McAfee has outlined its strategy for enabling the secure Internet of Things, saying it is building and delivering future-focused security solutions that are essential to unleashing the transformative power of a world in which every device is connected.
 
Companies of all sizes are linking objects as diverse as smartphones, cars and household appliances to industrial sensors, McAfee said in a statement.
 
The installed base of the Internet of Things (IoT) will be approximately 212 billion ‘things’ globally by the end of 2020, according to IDC. This equates to approximately 27 things for every person on Earth that will need to be secured and managed.
 
McAfee said its objective is to maintain the trust of these devices while allowing them to perform as intended but with a richer experience.
 
While this connectivity brings convenience and opens a world of opportunities, it also creates unprecedented security challenges in data privacy, safety, governance and trust, the company said.
 
McAfee is addressing these challenges by providing long-term assured functionality and other core security capabilities for the vast array of current and future IoT use cases. To effectively secure these IP connected devices requires that security be designed in and not an afterthought, it said.
 
A comprehensive IoT strategy includes:

• A secure and holistic solution for information rich environments across multiple environments and devices;

• Assurance that devices are operating as intended by the manufacturer and have not been corrupted;

• Life cycle security across the device, network, and data centre;

• Support for industry standards and device interoperability;

• Ability to solve IT/ cloud services challenges in connecting legacy and new systems to new and future services; and

• Provide technology to assure individual privacy.

Drawing from its 20-plus-year history in IT security, McAfee said it is applying this knowledge and expertise to the evolving IoT market.
 
McAfee is working closely with the broader Intel and Wind River companies to provide security solutions to ensure connected devices, systems, applications, and data are protected, freeing companies to concentrate on their business.
 
Recently, Intel introduced the Intel Gateway Solutions for IoT, a family of platforms based on Intel Quark and Atom processors, as well as McAfee and Wind River software that enables companies to seamlessly interconnect industrial devices into an IoT-ready system of systems.
 
Additionally, McAfee has over 400 OEM partners across the industrial, retail and healthcare verticals.
  
McAfee is focused on addressing security challenges specific to the Internet of Things, including expanded requirements for trust, solution integrity, accountability and privacy.
 
These solutions must deliver interoperable security which establishes appropriate and effective protection as every layer including the device connection and the cloud.
 
 “Security needs to be built in as the foundation of the Internet of Things,” said Michael Fey, worldwide chief technology officer for Intel Security.
 
“Any disruption to these IP-connected devices can cause damage to the business and our daily lives. We need to have foresight into what is coming so we can prevent against threats and securely manage these devices,” he added.
 
To learn more about what McAfee is doing to enable a secure Internet of Things, visit www.mcafee.com/embedded.
 
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