Symantec, McAfee Lead Pack for IoT Security

Enterprises are most often turning to security technology from Symantec and McAfee to secure their connected devices, according to a survey conducted by VDC Research. The survey assessed current and evolving practices relating to security and the Internet of Things (IoT). The resulting report, "M2M Embedded Software and Tools," also showed a wide variability in the types of security measures companies adopt to secure their IoT applications. Antivirus protection tops the list, with data encryption cited much less often.

VDC research also indicated there's a wide gap between recommended security best practices and current actual practices in a large percentage of organizations. "Lack of budget" was cited most often as the factor limiting beefed up security, but VDC researchers said there's a "general naiveté" about security risks in many organizations. The company's research data indicated that in most IoT markets, companies don't have security policies related to IoT devices. They also don't conduct formal risk assessment to help establish appropriate security measures.

VDC analysts predicted this lack of attention to best practices will not continue. They said their research shows an increasing interest in security solutions for all types of IoT applications, and survey respondents indicated that security budgets are on the rise. VDC also predicted that the increasing frequency of attacks and the bad publicity they engender, along with possible government regulation will bring security to top of mind for enterprises in the years to come.