What is the Best Way to Secure IoT Devices at Scale?
The most effective approach is a unified system that delivers real-time visibility, advanced IoT threat detection, deep IoT forensics, and integrated threat detection investigation and response workflows. NetWitness brings IoT, OT, and IT together under one security platform, giving teams the monitoring, analytics, and threat detection solutions needed to secure connected devices without relying on manufacturers or fragmented tools.
Introduction
Every time technology evolves, attackers evolve with it. That has been the story since the earliest days of IT. The gains we get from digital systems come with an equal responsibility to protect them.
Today, the challenge is getting bigger. Organizations rely on cloud platforms, mobile devices, and social applications, but the real game changer is the explosion of connected devices. IoT has expanded the attack surface more than any other technology to shift and attackers know it. That makes strong IoT threat detection essential for any security team.
Why IoT Changes the Security Equation
IoT runs factories, hospital equipment, energy grids, building controls – devices that were never designed with modern cybersecurity needs in mind. They’re diverse, often outdated, and operate on protocols that are unfamiliar to most IT teams.
Securing a smart HVAC system or a robotic arm is not the same as securing a laptop or server. The scale alone creates problems. Thousands of low-power devices, each generating unique types of data, make visibility difficult.
Why Traditional Approach is Failing
For years, IoT security has been treated as someone else’s responsibility – manufacturers, integrators and third-party platform vendors. That worked until attackers realized IoT devices could be easy entry points.
Now, security teams need:
- Accurate threat detection.
- Reliable IoT forensics.
- Unified threat detection investigation and response.
- Enterprise-ready threat detection solutions.
IoT is not a side project anymore. Rather, it is part of the main security picture.
The Need for IT-IoT Convergence
IT and IoT must eventually land under one security strategy. The problem is, they weren’t built for each other. OT teams understand how devices work. SOC teams understand how attackers work. Both groups are essential, but they rarely use the same tools.
Meanwhile, connected devices are multiplying faster than security teams can keep up. Organizations want the advantages IoT offers, but they need a way to adopt it without introducing unnecessary risk.
360° Cybersecurity with NetWitness Platform
– Unrivaled visibility into your organization’s data
– Advanced behavioral analytics and threat intelligence
– Threat detections and response actionable with the most complete toolset
How NetWitness Bridges the Gap
NetWitness has protected connected environments long before IoT became the talk of the town. With NetWitness IoT – a SaaS-native monitoring and threat detection platform – organizations finally get a security layer built specifically for the complexity of modern connected systems.
Supporting the People Who Know IoT Best
NetWitness IoT is built for both sides of the equation:
- Operations teams, who understand the devices.
- SOC analysts, who understand attackers.
Ops teams can use NetWitness IoT independently through a dedicated interface. At the same time, SOC analysts can pull IoT visibility directly into the full NetWitness Platform.
Same data. Same visibility. Two different workflows, without compromise.
Ready for Any Device and Any Protocol
IoT environments rarely follow a single standard. Devices come from different eras, different vendors, and different engineering philosophies. NetWitness IoT meets this reality head-on with broad protocol support and strong integration capabilities.
It also aligns with emerging edge-based IoT management systems, making it easier to onboard and secure new devices as they roll out. Instead of slowing down innovation, security becomes an enabler.
Availability
NetWitness IoT monitoring and threat detection solutions are available worldwide. For more information or to request a demo, visit the NetWitness IoT Monitoring product page.
Conclusion
Internet of things is a core part of how organizations operate. It brings efficiency, automation, and insight, but also new risks. Securing these environments requires more than traditional IT tools. It requires visibility, analytics, and control that extends all the way to the edge.
NetWitness delivers a unified platform built to handle the realities of IoT. With strong IoT threat detection, forensic depth, and enterprise-grade response workflows, it helps security teams protect every connected device and keep innovation moving safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is IoT threat detection?
It is the process of identifying suspicious or malicious behavior across connected devices using network analytics, telemetry, and monitoring tools.
2. Why does IoT forensics matter?
IoT forensics helps analysts understand how an attack happened, what devices were affected, and what risks remain. It is essential for containment and recovery.
3. How does NetWitness support investigation and response?
NetWitness combines visibility, analytics, and automated workflows to guide teams through threat detection investigation and response with clear, contextual data.
4. Why are traditional IT security tools unable to protect IoT devices?
Traditional IT security tools are not built for proprietary protocols, low-power sensors, or high-device diversity. IoT needs specialized threat detection solutions that can interpret its data and behavior accurately.
