The Internet of Things (IoT) is expanding rapidly — as are the security and privacy risks associated with it. One recent study suggests that nearly 20 percent of organizations have already suffered distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks by IoT botnets. Gartner analysts say security concerns are inhibiting growth of the IoT.

Hackers are using compromised Internet of Things (IoT) devices to attack ecommerce and other web sites, according to a report published Oct. 12 by the Akamai Technologies Threat Research team. The researchers noted a recent spate of attacks in which hackers attempted to gain access to the sites using login and password combinations from the recent Yahoo! security breach, in which half a billion accounts were stolen. Because many people reuse their passwords, hackers often try stolen credentials in other sites to see if they work.

Firewalls have long been a foundational component of IT security strategies. Traditional firewalls can monitor ports and IP addresses, route packets and prevent certain types of network attacks. They basically guard the network perimeter.

Digital signage is an increasingly popular tool that enables organizations to promote products and services and deliver engaging content that can be updated easily and frequently. Digital signage can also be used for more prosaic functions such as wayfinding, announcements and emergency notifications. Whatever the use case, it’s imperative that organizations take steps to secure their digital signage systems to ensure that only appropriate content is displayed.