Transparent and tool-driven security assessment for sustainable IoT cybersecurity
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
OP auditorium (L10), Linnanmaa, Oulu university
Topic of the dissertation
Transparent and tool-driven security assessment for sustainable IoT cybersecurity
Doctoral candidate
Licentiate of technology Rauli Kaksonen
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, Biomimetics and Intelligent Systems Group
Subject of study
Computer Science and Engineering
Opponent
Professor Basel Katt, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Custos
Professor Juha Röning, Oulu university
New method protects society from the cybersecurity risks of the Internet of Things
Rauli Kaksonen, PhD candidate and cybersecurity entrepreneur, has developed a method at the University of Oulu to reduce the cybersecurity risks of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT has become a part of critical societal functions and our homes, bringing new cybersecurity challenges. In his doctoral research, Kaksonen presents an IoT security analysis method that significantly improves the safety of IoT devices and reduces the risks they pose to societal functions.
IoT devices are everywhere. In industries, they control machines and processes. Hospitals use network-connected monitors and medical devices. Our power grid relies on IoT, including the remote-readable meters installed in our homes. In everyday life, we use IoT for smart lights, cleaning robots, cameras, Wi-Fi routers, and more. These devices should be secure, but often, they are not. For example, the latest cybersecurity weather report from the National Cyber Security Centre Finland (August 2024) highlights security issues in both home and industrial IoT systems.
Progress in IoT security has been slow due to the industry's confusing practices and standards. Even professionals in the field struggle to assess the security of IoT products, giving manufacturers an excuse to avoid investing in proper security measures. Kaksonen’s research introduces a transparent and automated method to measure the cybersecurity of IoT devices. This method produces a security description of the IoT device, which can be verified with tools and allows different stakeholders to assess the true security posture. This encourages the development of more secure IoT systems.
Kaksonen’s work isn’t just meant to sit on a shelf. He’s continuing work at a newly founded startup, Test of Things. Kaksonen has worked in cybersecurity since the 1990s. He was one of the founders of the Oulu-based company Codenomicon Ltd., where he served as Chief Technology Officer, and later took on international roles at Synopsys Inc. At the University of Oulu, his doctoral research has focused on IoT cybersecurity, security standards, and security tools.
IoT devices are everywhere. In industries, they control machines and processes. Hospitals use network-connected monitors and medical devices. Our power grid relies on IoT, including the remote-readable meters installed in our homes. In everyday life, we use IoT for smart lights, cleaning robots, cameras, Wi-Fi routers, and more. These devices should be secure, but often, they are not. For example, the latest cybersecurity weather report from the National Cyber Security Centre Finland (August 2024) highlights security issues in both home and industrial IoT systems.
Progress in IoT security has been slow due to the industry's confusing practices and standards. Even professionals in the field struggle to assess the security of IoT products, giving manufacturers an excuse to avoid investing in proper security measures. Kaksonen’s research introduces a transparent and automated method to measure the cybersecurity of IoT devices. This method produces a security description of the IoT device, which can be verified with tools and allows different stakeholders to assess the true security posture. This encourages the development of more secure IoT systems.
Kaksonen’s work isn’t just meant to sit on a shelf. He’s continuing work at a newly founded startup, Test of Things. Kaksonen has worked in cybersecurity since the 1990s. He was one of the founders of the Oulu-based company Codenomicon Ltd., where he served as Chief Technology Officer, and later took on international roles at Synopsys Inc. At the University of Oulu, his doctoral research has focused on IoT cybersecurity, security standards, and security tools.
Last updated: 26.9.2024