We live in a world where we can control our TV channels and volume by talking to our home cloud management assistant. We can schedule our home cooling system to begin working right after we leave the office. We have the control of our home appliances and tech on the palm of our hands. In short, the Internet of Things is growing at the speed of light, and by 2025, the IoT market will reach the $10 trillion mark globally. Even with the rapid expansion of the IoT market and the evolution of new tech, the users are facing issues regarding the safety of the data stored on the shared cloud. As you may already know, all devices on the IoT connect with the central controller via the cloud. Therefore, if a hacker finds access to the central cloud, he or she will also be able to access the other devices. One of the significant drawbacks of IoT is that security was never a part of the main product design. Right now, several new IoT security companies are trying to (successfully) integrate security in the IoT environment. Here is the list of the 10 super-cool IoT security startups you should check out in 2019.
IoT security startups
ReFirm Labs
In 2018, Info Security Products Guide dubbed ReFirm Labs the Cybersecurity Startup of the Year. They aim at redefining the security of IoT devices. Since their genesis in 2017, the automated behavioral analytics platform strives to detect issues in the protection of all connected devices. Furthermore, ReFirm Labs help in the analysis of business firmware during the design and development stages to mitigate the vulnerabilities.
Crypto Quantique
The UK-based IoT security company was the first to introduce a silicone-based quantum-driven secure chip. Crypto Quantique has leveraged the principles of quantum physics and cryptography to impart high-end security to the devices connected to an IoT cloud. In simple words, each device they have worked on has a unique chip that is unclonable. While the CEO of CQ does not call their products “unhackable,” most consumers rely on these unclonable chips for ensuring the ultimate security of their IoT devices.
Karamba Security
Whether it is the U.S. or the UK, people are holding their breaths for electric vehicles. Automated cars, driverless cars, and cars connected to a single cloud are all parts of the recent IoT craze. However, can anyone guarantee that the connected vehicles are un-hackable? Karamba is an IoT security startup in Israel that exclusively focuses on the security of connected cars. The unique property of the Karamba Security system is the hardening of the IoT device firewalls as per their factory settings. It does not require the intervention of the developers or the help from expensive updates!
MagicCube
In 2018, Gartner named MagicCube a “Cool Vendor” in the field of security and risk management. The MagicCube proprietary technology eliminates the necessity for chip or chip partition in a device. They have made it possible to shift the execution processes to a software-only environment. MagicCube provides state-of-the-art protection to digital transactions, cryptographic operations, and sensitive data.
Connax
Connax is also a nascent but promising IoT security company that provides embedded SIM solutions. This Helsinki, Finland, startup founded in 2016, aims at securing the connection between any device and the cloud. At the same time, they are developing new eSIM, iSim, and NBIoT technology for the storage of encrypted messages and cryptographic secrets.
Iotic
What if your dumb device became smart enough to detect and stop third-party breaches? Iotic is making this dream come true for the thousands of users across the world. While Iotic’s new digital twin technology received special attention from Gartner in 2018, the consumers are thrilled about the unprecedented combination of IoT security and open interoperability.
Indegy
Indegy is a popular name in cybersecurity already. This New York-based enterprise focuses on the improvement of clarity and the security of the industrial control networks. Indegy is one of the leaders of the industrial cyber security niche. Their technology is specifically designed to protect the industrial control system (ICS) from all kinds of third-party access, malicious threats, insider threats, and human error. In 2018, Indegy raised $18 million in a Series B round. With the new funding and new account execs, it is worth keeping an eye on Indegy in 2019.
Ultimo Digital Technologies
The two best things this decade has given us are blockchain and IoT. What do we find when we combine these technologies? Well, Ultimo Digital Technologies (UDT) has found a secure ecosystem that uses blockchain technology to authenticate IoT data. Its Ubique Chain of Things (UCOT) uses 5G narrowband tech, and blockchain to enhance the security of devices connected to an IoT cloud.
Claroty
Claroty is a New York-based company that was founded in 2014. Over the last five years, they have strived to perfect the security for OT networks. They aim to bridge the gap between the demand and supply of IT-skills that can prevent cyberattacks. Their dedicated IoT platform determines and mitigates the threats, misconfigurations, and vulnerabilities in the OT network. Their technology has the potential to detect a threat in real-time and eliminate them too.
Bayshore Networks
Industrial security is an overlooked niche of IoT. Bayshore Networks has one of the most impressive lists of clientele, even with their humble funding records. Their exclusive focus on the R&D of industrial cybersecurity protection makes them one of the most sought-after IoT security companies in 2019. Their unique security suite is powered by their policy engine working at a byte level. While the process Bayshore Networks leverages is quite complicated, the outcome has drawn the attention of the likes of Kimberley Clark Corp. and AT&T.
These IoT security startups put the ‘innovative’ in IoT
Among the 10 IoT security startups for clouds, devices and networks, each one is unique. Some dream of integrating innovative solutions to existing IoT systems, while others aim at including security-by-design principles. As the popularity of IoT grows steadily, you might have to seek answers from one of these 10 amazing companies for creating your own line of defense.
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