On October 21, 2016, a massive and sustained Internet attack, specifically a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack, caused network outages across large swaths of the United States and Europe. The attack launched with the help of hacked Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as routers, video cameras, and digital video recorders. Earlier this year, hacked devices attacked the website KrebsonSecurity.com—ironically a blog covering cyber-security news and investigation. Hackers used the same malware strain in both attacks. These types of attacks will only increase as IoT grows. Businesses need to ensure adequate security throughout their entire IoT system. Existing technologies help do that in part, but the ultimate answer will probably involve new IoT-based solutions. Patents a traditional vehicle for driving innovation play a key role because they entice companies to invest in R&D for security. In this article, Finnegan attorneys Kenie Ho and Mandy J. Song, Ph.D. discuss how intellectual property help drive IoT security.
Originally published in IoT Today.
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