An emerging concept in cybersecurity is chip-based cybersecurity, which switches the focus of security from software to hardware. Software exploitation is proven to be the easiest way of attack with the emerging innovations in technology. The most common attacks that leak sensitive data online and cause damage to a company's credibility, like phishing, malware, and SQL injections, usually originate through software breaches. For this reason, organizations continue to spend a significant amount of money and resources on software-based security aspects and end up neglecting hardware breaches, which are now the lowest hanging fruit for cyberattackers.
A security strategy based on both software and hardware can help safeguard important resources, data, and infrastructure.
Hardware cybersecurity solutions come in the form of a physical device rather than software that's installed on the computer system. Hardware security adds a physical layer of defense that substantially increases the complexity for hackers to breach. Therefore, gaining access to physical devices isn't as easy as conducting software-based attacks.
The major reason that most organizations cite for ignoring hardware cybersecurity is that hardware is a less frequent target for hackers than software. Here are some reasons why you should consider hardware-level security for your organization:
With the advent of smart technology, semiconductor chips have seen increased use from their application in medical devices to data centers, making robust hardware security a necessity. All electronic devices, including your mobile phone, desktop computer, and laptop can be trusted to run properly only if their chips are free from security vulnerabilities.
The rising value of data stored in both on-premises and cloud-based environments has made chips a new source of concern since more hardware is being connected to the network. For devices to be safeguarded throughout their entire life cycle, chip designers must concentrate on implementing security right from the design phase, and on creating hardware that integrates hardened security features.
If organizations don't follow the best practices for protecting these hardware components, they will be at risk.
1.Minimize the potential attack surface
Disable any unused hardware that could present an avenue of attack and dispose of it properly. For components that can't be removed, enforce other policy-level restrictions to mitigate attacks.
2.Encrypt all devices
All hardware devices and portable devices, including your laptop and external flash drives, need to be encrypted. Processors these days come with built-in components to ensure hardware encryption and decryption, with less CPU utilization. So, ensure you verify this during the installation.
3.Investigate vendors
The risk to hardware security stems right from its production phase. Ensure you thoroughly investigate the vendors and suppliers of every individual part of your hardware before selecting them. Detailed inspection of the security measures deployed in the hardware components is crucial to minimize the risk of hardware attacks.
4.Enforce multiple layers of security
A comprehensive hardware security plan is incomplete without proper physical and electronic security in place. Strong access control policies need to be enforced in places where hardware components are housed. For hardware components that are prone to tampering, it is important to install tamper switches that get triggered when any of the devices are opened.
Hardware security can no longer be brushed aside—it needs to be considered as seriously as other security measures in the network.
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