The next generation wireless threat monitoring leader is named a Silver Winner in the IoT Innovator Awards’ ‘IoT Software – Security’ and ‘Marketing Project of the Year’ categories
by Kim Kay
It’s a classic Catch-22: Wireless devices are essential in virtually every enterprise environment, but organizations have found them difficult and unwieldy to manage from a security standpoint. To be sure, a staggering 80 percent of the roughly 15 billion devices that will be connecting to enterprise networks by 2028 will do so via wireless technology – an inevitability which will essentially turn wireless into the world’s largest attack surface.
Today’s networks and organizations simply weren’t built to handle the staggering volume and level of connectivity that the Internet of Things (IoT) devices in our homes, cities, factories, hotels, hospitals and critical infrastructure are now requiring. In fact, this new hyper-connected reality in which enterprises must now operate has revealed alarming security gaps.
Hence, the conundrum: IoT, despite all of its efficiencies and benefits, introduces numerous security risks, which is why, according to Gartner, 97 percent of enterprises admit to security concerns when it comes to adopting wireless IoT solutions.
Device management and security shouldn’t be an afterthought
It’s no big surprise that substandard device security is no small matter; just consider the billions of intelligent endpoints that are at risk of becoming exposed points-of-entry into networks, creating endless opportunities for data breaches and network disruptions to create chaos. These breaches and disruptions are capable of shutting down not only critical medical devices and corporate networks but also the industrial control systems that provide the critical services upon which we all rely every day.
It’s clear that, before many IT organizations can even entertain the idea of adopting IoT, they first need to adopt security policies capable of discovering, managing and monitoring wireless blind spots. But how best to navigate the labyrinth that is device management security?
That’s where LOCH Technologies comes in, helping tame the chaos by masterfully monitoring and managing wireless device connectivity. The company believes that the way to protect everything that’s connected in this world of hyper-connectivity in which we now exist is through the power of its patented Wireless Machine Vision, a platform that provides full and proactive management of and security for all IoT devices in IT and OT environments.
“With 80 percent of new IoT deployments wireless, wireless is the new network and new attack surface – the new invisible threat. Our AirShield solution provides the next generation of wireless threat intelligence across cellular 5G and broad-spectrum IoT frequencies by providing full asset discovery and classification, risk analysis, with actionable remediation helping our clients embrace safe digital transformation whilst enhancing zero trust,” said Garry Drummond, LOCH’s founder and CEO.
The judging panel for the 2021 IoT Innovator Awards recognized Loch’s role in helping enterprises manage security, performance and cost across the full range of wireless devices, naming the company a Silver award winner not only in the awards’ ‘IoT Software – Security’ category but also in its ‘Marketing Project of the Year’ category.
IoT devices need to be under Loch and key
Specifically – by providing full visibility and actionable intelligence on all devices – LOCH enables organizations to confidently embrace the wireless IoT innovations that are driving the next generation of digital transformation. This capability is what impressed IoT Innovator judges the most.
“One hundred percent digital operations are the first step to next generation digital transformation. IoT devices with embedded mechanisms for dynamic learning and automated operations are at the heart of managing, sensing and responding in support of digital operations. The broad RF spectrum IoT uses has rendered the attack surface invisible to traditional network security tools. Our RF security solutions ensure worry-free continued momentum in digital transformation”, said Ashok Madanahalli, LOCH’s chief product officer.
Essentially, LOCH’s solution – which comprises AirShield, AirGuard and AirHook – protects the new multi-access edge of cellular, broad-spectrum IoT and WiFi by providing visibility into unmanaged, unsecured and misconfigured IoT devices that communicate over always-risky wireless technology.
AirShield
As it unobtrusively monitors the airwaves, AirShield Wireless Security-as-a-Service provides comprehensive visibility into the IoT, Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) and operational technology (OT) threat landscape as a means of detecting, assessing and preventing risks introduced by questionable IoT devices. In a nutshell, AirShield allows enterprises to see every RF-emitting device within their environments – on or off their production networks – whether connecting via WiFi, Bluetooth or other broad spectrum IoT protocols. As a result, organizations are able to correctly quantify wireless IoT risks, which can drastically minimize the potential for loss.
Other key AirShield features include:
Cloud connectivity. Sensors automatically connect to the Wireless Machine Vision cloud platform for visibility and control, with no on-premise server installation required.
Real-time Data Analytics. AirShield’s Threat Hunting Incident Tracker app – together with API-based integrations with third party IT tools for tracking, ticketing and remediation – effectively close the incident response loop.
Customizable Software Defined Radio. Monitoring of wireless radio frequencies (RF) including 4G/LTE/5G Cellular in the range of 300Mhz to 6Ghz ensures continuous detection and tracking of IoT, IoMT and OT devices.
Critical Path to Exposure Reporting. By leveraging the industry’s leading IoT wireless security benchmarks, AirShield helps enterprises measure and manage the security status of all wireless and cellular connected devices.
AirGuard
Meanwhile, AirGuard, Wireless SOCaaS (Security Operations Center as a Service) leverages LOCH’s decades of experience in the world of wireless networking – including 802.11 WiFi, Bluetooth, 802.15.4 Broad Spectrum RF, cellular 4G/5G or private/public LTE technologies. Specifically, service teams can provide enterprises with comprehensive end-to-end risk and threat detection, tracking and mitigation on a short-term, long-term, or even one-time basis
AirHook
LOCH’s cellular IOT security service – AirHook – offers organizations a multi-layered approach to managing cellular risks, costs and threats in real-time. Putting cellular usage insight and real-time visibility into the hands of enterprises effectively allows them to make informed business decisions that will ensure security, productivity and cost optimization, regardless how large a deployment is.
In this brave – and often burdensome – new world of wireless pandemonium, LOCH is helping to bring order to countless enterprise environments by ensuring security, monitoring performance, and managing cost for a full range of wireless devices. That’s the kind of safety LOCH – quite literally – we can get behind.
The IoT Innovator Awards honor the best of the Internet of Things businesses and products across the globe by recognizing those pioneers who are channeling for users the infinite potential of the IoT in spectacularly innovative and valuable ways.
Kim Kay is the editor-in-chief of IoT Innovator. You can reach her at kim_kay@iotinnovator.com.
