IoT technology is the new technology that is changing our lives. It enables us to control and monitor a lot of things with just a few clicks. 

However, this new amazing technology comes with many challenges that are worth discussing. 

In this blog post, we will be focusing on some important IoT testing challenges. We will also discuss how these challenges can be addressed.

So, let’s go

What Are the IoT Testing Challenges?

There are many complexities in IoT testing. This led to the emergence of many 

IoT testing challenges. These complexities come from the use of different devices, networks, and protocols.

 Also, the interconnectedness of IoT technology makes it easy for one system failure to affect the functions of others.

IoT Testing challenges Include;

Testing IoT devices presents a formidable set of challenges for manufacturers and integrators. Let’s explore some of the difficulties associated with IoT device testing:

Communication Protocols.

One of the IoT testing challenges is because of multiple communication protocols. IoT devices rely on different communication protocols. These protocols may include 

·      Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT)

·       Extensible Messaging

·      Presence Protocol

These communication protocols can establish strong connections between different IoT devices and servers. 

The challenge here lies in the fact that all testing teams need to, first off, identify the right tools to effectively validate APIs built on top of these protocols. After the validation, they can proceed to use the tools and technologies that support these communication methods.

Multiple IoT Cloud Platforms

IoT testing challenges also come with the fact that there are different cloud platforms. The leading ones areIoT platforms like Azure IoT, IBM Watson, and AWS. The roles of cloud based IoT platforms are crucial for storage, scalability and security. 

They are also very important for reliable and secure connectivity. Cloud based services support the connection of various components of IoT devices.  

The IoT testing challenges with too many IoT cloud-based services is that ensuring the effective usability of these devices requires testing across multiple cloud platforms. This can be time-consuming and costly to implement. 

Also, the complexity in IoT testing is tied to the fact that there are diverse IoT devices in the cloud environment. These devices generate structured and unstructured data and these data are saved in the cloud. 

As time passes and new devices are added, it becomes more challenging to perform real time testing. This is majorly because there are so many connected devices across different platforms.

IoT Security and Privacy Threats

Also, IoT testing challenges expand to the area of security and privacy threats. One of the trending security issues with IoT devices is that they are highly susceptible to cyber-attacks. This means any business or organisation that is adopting the technology must take security concerns very seriously.

What even makes the issue of security to be so complex is that there are several factors involved; the devices, the apps, the cloud-based services, the users, etc. Issues of security can come in from all angles.

This calls for manufacturers and users to consider proactive measures. On the end of IoT manufacturers, they need to prioritize security and integrate the best software. 

Also, IoT app developers also need to prioritize security in the development stage, especially in their codes. IoT app users have a big role to play. They need to educate themselves on IoT security, use strong passwords and authentication methods.

Very importantly in dealing with IoT testing challenges is to consider cyber-attacks. This calls for thought and repeated security tests before launching to users. 

Security testing is very important for rectifying any issue with passwords, data protection, encryption issues, firmware and upgrades. 

Device Diversity

We have mentioned how device diversity in cloud-based services contributes to forming IoT testing challenges. Other areas of device’s diversity is that these IoT devices come in different brands, OS versions, sizes, and models. They also come with different security strengths, with some being weak while others are strong. 

All these form issues with testing because of the diversity in combinations and capabilities. For example, they may not be suitable for testing on the same platforms and it may take a lot of time to find the right testing platforms for each IoT device.

And sometimes, when testers finally find a suitable environment and platform for testing, there may arise the issues of difference in version upgrades and software/firmware updates.

Network Availability (Always Online)

The functionality of IoT devices and their performance depends on the availability of networks. These devices are configured to always be online to remain reliable and effective. 

However, a strong and constant network can cause issues relating to connectivity, functions, efficiency and reliability. During testing, there may be network fluctuations and testers may not be able to perform the best assessment on all network configurations.

Therefore, Challenges may arise due to unreliable internet connections or network hindrances. 

Data Volume, Data Variety, and Data Velocity (Real-Time Data Testing): 

IoT testing challenges pile up because there are also issues of data volume, data variety, and data velocity. As you may already know, these devices and technologies deal with vast amounts of data in often very complex and unstructured ways.

During IoT testing, managing and analysing all these data in real time can be very challenging. This is because the data volume can unpredictably change or surge which will return accurate results.

There is a need to address these IoT testing challenges. And to get it right, manufacturers, and developers need to deploy strategic testing methods. These methods must ensure the reliability and security of IoT devices in an ever-evolving landscape.

Challenges in Ensuring IoT Security

Ensuring IoT security is a very important topic and practice. It is worthy of attention because IoT devices deal with vast amounts of data which do not need to end in the wrong hands. However, ensuring such security is tough and very challenging.

One of the main reasons stems from the fact that manufacturers and developers and these devices and apps do not always prioritise security.

Security vulnerability and challenges can be damning to businesses so they need to be identified and rightly fixed.

Here are some of the key IoT security challenges:

Lack of Visibility

IoT devices are often deployed without the knowledge or involvement of IT departments. The manufacturers and developers only tend to focus on performance and connectivity, leaving out issues of security. 

This leads to businesses adopting and implementing IoT devices that require effective protection and strong monitoring. 

Negligence from developers and manufactures also pose as IoT testing challenges and lack of visibility makes owning secure IoT devices very difficult.

Limited Security Integration

IoT comes with a lot of diversity and this poses significant integration challenges. This is especially true when organisations are incorporating the technologies into their existing security systems. 

This is a security complexity that goes from being challenging to being nearly impossible to fix. Thereby, increasing the challenges in ensuring IoT security.

Open-Source Code Vulnerabilities

Many IoT device firmware are free and open-source software. This leaves them open and prone to bugs and weaknesses. These vulnerabilities and weaknesses can be invisible or unnoticed by organisations until cybercriminals take advantage of the gaps.  

Open-source code vulnerabilities can render an IoT device to be open to a series of attacks that will lead to data breaches and damages.

Overwhelming Data Volume

IoT devices generate and exchange vast amounts of data. This contributes in managing security issues with the devices. These devices can sometimes gather both e relevant and irrelevant data. These make the data to be very challenging to oversee, manage, and protect. 

Poor Testing

Security often takes a back seat in IoT development. This is why there are issues of poor security testing or none at all. This often leads to several security vulnerability issues left unaddressed. 

Poor testing leaves critical security weaknesses unidentified and unaddressed and this leaves the IoT devices vulnerable in the hands of attackers.

Unpatched Vulnerabilities

Numerous IoT devices have unpatched vulnerabilities for various reasons, including the unavailability of patches and difficulties in accessing and applying them. These unaddressed vulnerabilities create opportunities for attackers.

Vulnerable Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

Vulnerable APIs are like entry points for attackers. They are used by cybercriminals to gain access to command-and-control centres.  Vulnerability in API enables various methods of attacks like SQL injection, distributed denial of service, man-in-the-middle, and network breaches.

Weak Passwords

IoT security challenges are also visible in weak passwords especially when users fail to change them. Sometimes, many users tend to use weak passwords that can be easily guessed by attackers. These leave their IoT device security vulnerable and easy to compromise.

 IoT security challenges point out the need for experts and users to make conscious efforts towards ensuring security. Conscious efforts include establishing robust security practices, and educating users about the risks associated with IoT systems. 

Also, there is a need for developers and manufacturers to find solutions in dealing with the IoT testing challenges. This will ensure that the devices are thoroughly tested and all issues of security identified and addressed. 

Addressing The Challenges in Ensuring IoT Security

There is a need for a comprehensive and proactive approach in order to effectively deal with IoT security challenges. These should include the use of effective strategies and technology solutions for addressing security challenges. 

While doing these, the nature, features and functions of IoT devices must be put into serious considerations.

Here are some key ways to address issues of security in IoT devices.

Network Visibility

Implement security solutions that offer deep network visibility to understand the full scope of your IoT ecosystem. This includes identifying all IoT devices connected to the network, their behaviours, and communication patterns.

Risk Profiling

Conduct risk assessments for each group of IoT devices within your ecosystem. Understand the potential vulnerabilities, threats, and impacts associated with these devices. Assign risk profiles to categorise devices based on their security posture and criticality.

Continuous Monitoring

Establish continuous monitoring mechanisms to track IoT device activities in real-time. This includes inspecting network traffic, device behaviour, and data flows to detect anomalies and potential security incidents.

IoT Security Policies

Develop and enforce IoT-specific security policies that align with the unique requirements and risks of IoT devices. 

These policies should cover access control, authentication, data encryption, and device management.

Segmentation Strategy

Employ segmentation strategies for IoT systems similar to how networks are segmented. Segment IoT devices into policy groups based on their risk profiles and security requirements.

Access Control

Implement access controls and firewall rules to restrict communication between IoT devices based on their segmentation policies. This isolation helps contain potential security breaches and limit lateral movement within the network.

Focusing on these capabilities help in enhancing the IoT security posture of an organisation. In addition to implementing these solutions, organisations can provide training on security awareness to their staff.  

Manufacturers can also include security manuals for users. They can also ensure regular over-the-air updates, patch management, and vulnerability assessments as their IoT security strategy. 

Also, there should be strong collaboration and partnership between IoT manufacturers and governments to ensure that there is strict adherence to industry best practices for security. 

Common IoT Testing Challenges

1. IoT testing challenges comes from not knowing what to test

This issue happens because there are many areas to test an IoT system. It is very important to design and perform your test having considered the risks and the objectives of the system.

Consulting with experts in the IoT industry can offer you a lot of clarity here. You may also seek professional help on prioritising your test. This will help you to take a series of important tests, one after the other.

2. IoT testing challenges come from lack of standardization

One common IoT testing challenge is the fact that the practice does not have a one-size-fits-all approach. This is because of the existing diversity in devices and software in IoT. There are also issues of data quantity and data types.  

This leads to lack of standardisation which contributes in making it very difficult to develop effective and reliable ways of testing IoT devices and networks.

3. IoT testing challenges come from lack of visibility into device behavior

In the IoT device communication realm, the process is indirect because there are other supporting technologies. 

These are protocols, cloud-based servers, networks, etc. These technologies create indirect communication, thereby, bringing more difficulty in understanding how each device behaves or interacts. 

4. IoT testing challenges come from difficulty in simulating real-world conditions

IoT has complex interactions if you look at the devices in an IoT system. There are also issues of complexities in IoT testing because of diverse devices and platforms. All these make it difficult to have a reliable test environment. 

These difficulties are also affecting accuracy and real-world simulations which will affect the overall goal of IoT testing.

5. IoT testing challenges come from Security concerns

The interconnected nature of IoT systems creates new security risks that need to be considered when designing and conducting tests.

Conclusion

IoT testing challenges exist in their numbers because IoT testing is an incredibly complex process. It is a process that requires a unique set of skills and tools. 

However, with the existence of these complexities in IoT testing, it is very possible to successfully achieve your IT goals. There are ways in which these challenges can be managed and there are effective approaches to adopt. 

If you need any expert assistance in dealing with IoT testing challenges, reach out to us now and we will offer you the best.