Week 1 — IoT Communication Threat Landscape
In IoT systems, communication security failures scale rapidly. A single weakness can expose thousands or millions of devices.
1. Why Communication Security is Critical
IoT devices continuously exchange:
- Sensor data
- Control commands
- Firmware updates
- Credentials
Any compromise during transmission can lead to:
- Data leakage
- Device impersonation
- Remote takeover
- Fleet-wide compromise
2. Common IoT Communication Channels
| Channel | Typical Use |
|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | High-throughput IoT devices |
| Ethernet | Industrial IoT |
| BLE | Wearables, peripherals |
| Cellular (LTE-M / NB-IoT) | Remote & low-power devices |
| LPWAN | Long-range sensors |
Each channel has unique threat characteristics.
3. Attacker Capabilities
Attackers may have:
- Local network access
- Rogue access points
- Protocol-level knowledge
- Cloud endpoint visibility
Security designs must assume active attackers, not passive listeners.
4. Common Communication Attacks
- Man-in-the-middle (MITM)
- Replay attacks
- Protocol downgrade
- Device impersonation
- Weak authentication bypass
Week 1 Takeaway
Communication security must be designed end-to-end, not per protocol.