IoT Brings Danger – And The Executives Around You Don’t Understand!

Do You Sell Technology? What About Security?

If your company sells technology, and specifically security technology, your firm has an important job to do.  It’s frustrating when marketing efforts seem fruitless or when prospects seem to have no real needs. Or when executives refuse to meet with you, insisting that your meet with IT Administrators.  But the truth is, they all have an urgent need. And your technology firm could be helping them.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a game changer. I’ve posted the TED video above because it speaks to the future when just about everything is online. Even the chair sitting next to the speaker.  The IoT can mean a lot of things. It offer all kinds of efficiencies, like resetting your A/C while away on a trip, to using your smartphone to control your home security system, or maybe a deer cam deep in the woods.  But there’s a problem no one’s really addressing.  It’s a big opportunity if you’re ready for it.

So Where’s The Big Opportunity?

It’s the threat that stands behind the chair in the TED video. Target was attacked through an HVAC connection.  But an article posted in the Wall Street Journal today sheds light on a much bigger issue. Critical Infrastructure Devices on the Internet.  Stuff that’s connected that no one is really thinking about.

The U.S. tops the list of connected critical infrastructure.  Rachael King, one of the WSJ writers I follow daily, writes, “control systems used in utilities, health care facilities and transportation systems are connected…to the Internet…In many cases, the operating companies are not even aware…” That last sentence is the key. The people running the companies you call on have no idea what’s connected and how that exposes them. In fact, Rachael goes on to point out that “Most of the systems that are exposed seem to be accidental…and the result of poorly configured network infrastructure.” In other words, no one really knows until a thorough investigation takes place.  IT is making mistakes, and no one really knows until it’s too late.

This is a topic for your next Live Event Demand Generation Program!

Next week I’ll be speaking about these things in Cincinnati, Ohio.  It’s an educational event with a big opportunity on the other side.  My goal is to get business leaders thinking about this. No one has it covered. The question is, can we convince them to take a closer look?  If we can, there’s an opportunity, because 95% of the time we will find evidence of data exposure or critical devices or data accessible from outside the firewall.

One of my coaching clients recently took a job with RiskIQ.  This is cool technology.  The idea is to profile the attacker. To take a look at a company’s assets from outside the firewall. Using some pretty sophisticated scanning technology, this company will scour the Internet to find data that belongs to a given company. That data might be unstructured date on a Sharepoint server, or it might be stolen data being sold in a chat room.  In most cases they’ll find something that isn’t supposed to be outside the firewall. And when they do, it’s a surprise to the CIO. But it’s also an opportunity – a project opportunity.

While you don’t have to use RiskIQ, these types of issues demand something more than simply scanning the perimeter for open ports.  In my book, From Vendor to Advisor (pg. 139), I describe an executive approach to discovery. The security message demands a executive audience. It requires involvement from the people who are liable when a breach occurs.  Preparing to deliver this message might be the key to your future value proposition – the thing that sets you apart from the average reseller.

© 2014, David Stelzl

P.S. Looking to Make Quota This Year?  Make sure you have a copy of my security sales book, The House & the Cloud… Get  the free ebook version (CLICK HERE TO GET IT).