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The Internet of Things (IoT) is a rapidly growing part of the IT sector. As internet-connected devices spread through homes, healthcare facilities, factories, and offices, they create additional access points and data-security risks, and organizations must be ready for cyberattacks that target them. To address IoT cybersecurity, organizations are increasing their investments and looking for IT professionals with the knowledge and skills to protect their networks and systems.

Below, you鈥檒l learn what IoT security is, the potential risks of connected systems, common ways to protect them, and the careers that support this work.

What Are IoT and IoT Security?

What Is IoT?

In the simplest terms, the Internet of Things means according to IoT For All. That includes smartwatches, video doorbells, and smart speakers, as well as medical monitors, factory sensors, and building controls. IoT Analytics estimates that . That count excludes computers, laptops, fixed phones, cell phones, and consumer tablets.

These devices help people track their fitness, manage customer information, and regulate medical systems. They also raise important questions about securing the data needed to power them.

What Is IoT Security?

IoT security鈥攐ften called IoT cybersecurity鈥攊s the set of practices and technologies that protect connected devices, the data they generate, the software and firmware they run, and the networks they use. It spans the whole IoT ecosystem, from a sensor on a factory floor to the cloud service that stores its readings.

How Does Cybersecurity Relate to the Internet of Things?

Cybersecurity and the Internet of Things are closely linked because every added device is another endpoint that someone has to configure, update, monitor, and defend. As more devices become interconnected, a weakness in one can affect others on the same IoT network, and each new device can introduce new vulnerabilities. The more devices an organization deploys, the larger its attack surface becomes.

Common IoT Cybersecurity Risks

What Risks Do IoT Devices Pose?

Compromised IoT devices may expose data, provide access to other systems, or disrupt connected operations. The consequences can reach well beyond the device itself. In healthcare, for example, the FDA notes that and that these same features also increase potential cybersecurity risks. In critical infrastructure, CISA notes that , so a compromised connected control system can affect services many people rely on.

Where Do IoT Risks Show Up Most?

• Healthcare: Connected medical devices and monitors handle patient data and support care, so both privacy and availability matter.
• Industrial and critical infrastructure settings: Connected sensors and control systems help run power, water, and manufacturing operations, so interruptions can impact many people.
• Smart buildings: Cameras, badge readers, thermostats, and lighting systems often share networks with business systems and can become entry points.
• Home and office devices: Routers, cameras, and speakers are often set up quickly and left on their default settings, which can be more vulnerable.

Software weaknesses are a large part of the picture. In a February 2026 review of operational technology and IoT trends, Nozomi Networks reported that . That figure reflects Nozomi鈥檚 own customer environments, not every organization, but it shows how often serious flaws turn up in connected systems.

Why Are IoT Devices Vulnerable?

Many IoT devices are built to be inexpensive and simple, with limited processing power, so security features may be minimal. Manufacturers also vary in how they design and support security, and organizations often lack a complete inventory of what鈥檚 connected. Attackers look for these vulnerabilities, and some exploit them at scale: In a botnet, large numbers of compromised devices can be used together to launch cyberattacks or overwhelm services.

Common weak points include:

• Weak authentication: Default passwords or shared credentials can help an attacker gain access to a device and the network it sits on.
• Outdated software: Devices that never receive firmware or software updates keep known vulnerabilities open long after fixes exist.
• Unencrypted data: Information sent or stored without encryption can be intercepted or read, including sensitive information such as health or customer data.
• Limited device visibility: Organizations can鈥檛 protect devices they don鈥檛 know they have, and unmanaged devices widen the attack surface.
• Insecure network access: Devices on flat networks, or those exposed directly to the internet, can give attackers a path to other systems.

These security challenges are why NIST publishes the 鈥攇uidance for manufacturers on designing, developing, and supporting IoT devices鈥攚hich was updated with a revised foundational activities publication in April 2026. NIST鈥檚 and describe capabilities that devices should have, such as device identification, device configuration, data protection, logical access to interfaces, software updates, and cybersecurity state awareness.

How to Protect IoT Devices and Networks

No single control is enough because the IoT ecosystem includes devices, networks, cloud services, and people. Effective IoT security calls for multiple layers of protection across devices, networks, data, access, monitoring, and incident response. Common practices to secure IoT devices include:

• Identifying connected devices: Keeping an inventory of every IoT device, who owns it, and what it does.
• Applying updates: Installing firmware and software patches and planning to retire devices that can no longer be updated.
• Using strong access controls: Changing default passwords before deployment, using unique credentials, and limiting who and what can reach each device.
• Protecting data: Encrypting data in transit and at rest where possible and limiting what each device collects.
• Monitoring activity: Watching device and network traffic for unusual behavior, scanning for known vulnerabilities, and keeping logs so teams can investigate.
• Segmenting networks: Using network segmentation to separate IoT devices from critical business systems, which can mitigate the impact if one device is compromised.
• Preparing for incidents: Planning how to isolate compromised devices, investigating, recovering, and communicating.听

CISA鈥檚 guidance for and other reinforce several of these basics. CISA鈥檚 鈥溾�� from 2025 also calls for changing default manufacturer passwords before devices connect to any network, and CISA has long suggested placing IoT devices on a separate, dedicated network. For more technical detail, NIST鈥檚 requirement catalog maps device capabilities to security controls.

Because this work crosses several IT disciplines, professionals in cybersecurity, network, systems, engineering, and incident response often share the responsibility. Network and infrastructure skills鈥攕uch as those taught in a cloud and network engineering degree program鈥攕upport the configuration, segmentation, and visibility tasks above, while automation can help teams inventory, patch, and monitor devices at scale. Today鈥檚 IT professionals also need to understand risk assessment methods, legal limitations, and incident-handling policies.

Careers and Skills in IoT Cybersecurity

What Do IoT Cybersecurity Professionals Do?

IoT cybersecurity work may include identifying vulnerabilities, securing devices and networks, monitoring threats, managing access and updates, and responding to incidents. These tasks are spread across a range of IT and cybersecurity roles, including:

• Information security analyst: Monitors for threats, investigates alerts, and recommends improvements.
• Network engineer: Designs and segments networks and manages secure connectivity for devices.
• Systems or cloud engineer: Maintains the platforms and services that connected devices rely on.
• Incident responder: Investigates, contains, and recovers from cyberattacks and other security events.
• Security consultant: Advises organizations on risk, controls, and compliance, sometimes as an outside consulting engineer.
• Software developer: Builds safeguards into application code and device firmware.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) , much faster than the average for all occupations, with a median annual wage of $129,180 in May 2025. This projection applies to information security analysts generally, not specifically to IoT roles, and individual outcomes vary. For more labor-market resources, see 麻豆原创鈥檚 collection of .

What Skills Do IoT Security Jobs Require?

• Networking: Understanding how devices connect, communicate, and can be segmented.
• Security fundamentals: Knowing core concepts such as authentication, encryption, and threat types; 麻豆原创鈥檚 guide to cybersecurity fundamentals is a good place to learn more.
• Risk assessment: Identifying which devices and data matter most and what could go wrong.
• Scripting and automation: Using code to inventory devices, apply patches, and monitor activity.
• Incident response and forensics: Investigating the aftermath of incidents and restoring operations; see 麻豆原创鈥檚 overview of digital forensics jobs.

The right education and certifications can support a career path in IoT security. The BLS notes that many employers prefer to hire information security analysts who have information security certification. 麻豆原创鈥檚 cybersecurity degree program includes certifications at no extra cost, such as CompTIA Security+, CompTIA CySA+, CompTIA PenTest+, and CompTIA Network+, along with optional vouchers for the ISC2 Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) and Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP).

Prepare for a Career in Cybersecurity

As the Internet of Things evolves and grows, the need for IT professionals who can protect connected devices and networks is likely to stay strong. Are you prepared for a career in cybersecurity? A degree can help you build the networking, security, and incident-response skills that this work demands. Explore 麻豆原创鈥檚 B.S. in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance to see how you can earn your degree online and prepare to help protect an increasingly interconnected world.