Introduction: Navigating Security and Compliance Challenges in the IoT Ecosystem
The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming industries by connecting billions of devices, enabling real-time data exchange, and driving innovation across sectors such as healthcare, smart cities, and industrial automation. However, as IoT networks expand, they introduce significant security risks. Businesses using IoT technologies must navigate challenges around data security, privacy, and compliance, making cybersecurity a top priority.
RAKwireless, a global leader in designing and producing innovative IoT solutions, offers a robust portfolio of IoT modules, LoRaWAN gateways, and ready-to-deploy node devices. These products are used by both IoT developers and deployers, supporting their needs across industries like industrial automation and agriculture. As RAKwireless’s market presence grew, it became clear that enhancing product security was critical—not just to protect customers’ data, but to maintain the company’s reputation as a trusted provider in the IoT space.
Problem Overview:
With enterprise clients like Vodafone, Airbus, and partnerships with major IoT ecosystems such as AWS, Microsoft, and The Things Industries, RAKwireless recognized the increasing demand for robust security and compliance. Their rapid growth, driven by popular B2B and B2C product launches, created a pressing need to scale security measures across both their products and the entire organization.
Key challenges RAKwireless faced:
Addressing GDPR requirements for the European market:
As RAKwireless expanded into the EU, ensuring GDPR compliance became crucial. The regulation’s strict data privacy standards required the company to implement robust security and privacy-by-design principles to protect customer data. Failure to comply could result in heavy fines and hinder market access, making GDPR alignment essential for operating in Europe.
Lack of a centralized, risk-based and budget-conscious approach to security:
Although RAKwireless had implemented security measures like secure software development and regular penetration testing in the past, they lacked a unified, company-wide, risk-based approach. This resulted in addressing immediate gaps rather than taking a holistic, budget-wise strategy, often following best practices without prioritizing the most critical risks.
Like many companies in the IoT space, RAKwireless faced regular attacks from hackers and phishing campaigns targeting both system vulnerabilities and people. Without effective detection, response mechanisms, and employee awareness, these threats could compromise systems, putting data integrity and operational continuity at serious risk.
Frequent phishing and hacking attempts:
Our collaboration with Sekurno has consistently been seamless.
Roy - DG VP
Solution
Key milestones of the implementation journey included:
Sekurno led a strategic Gap Assessment aligned with the ISO 27001 framework, identifying critical security vulnerabilities and implementing essential controls across organizational, personnel, physical, and technological domains. Over 12 months, Sekurno guided RAKwireless through a structured transformation, culminating in a much-anticipated ISO 27001 certification audited by a third-party firm.
Gap Assessment
Overview:
Sekurno conducted a comprehensive Gap Assessment to evaluate RAKwireless’ current security posture against ISO 27001 requirements. Identified gaps were prioritized based on risk impact, forming a clear roadmap for remediation.
Result:
Provided RAKwireless with a structured path to ISO 27001 compliance, ensuring a focused approach to closing security gaps and enhancing overall security resilience.
Risk Assessment & Treatment
Overview:
Sekurno conducted an in-depth risk assessment, mapping RAKwireless’ operational landscape to uncover vulnerabilities and emerging threats. A tailored risk mitigation strategy was designed, integrating industry-best security controls.
Result:
Enabled RAKwireless to systematically address security deficiencies, reduce exposure to threats, and establish a proactive approach to risk management, ensuring business continuity and resilience.
Documentation Development
Overview:
Sekurno developed and institutionalized security policies and procedures customized to RAKwireless’ business model, ensuring compliance with ISO 27001 while embedding security into daily operations.
Result:
Established a robust governance framework, reducing compliance risks, improving internal efficiencies, and demonstrating regulatory alignment to stakeholders and partners.
Information Security Tools & Solutions:
Overview:
Given the typically high cost of advanced security tools, Sekurno carefully selected, tested, and configured solutions that were tailored to RAKwireless’ specific risks and budget requirements. This approach ensured that RAKwireless received the most effective tools to enhance their security posture while aligning with their financial expectations.
Result:
Enhanced security infrastructure with scalable solutions, balancing robust protection with cost efficiency, and meeting stringent enterprise security expectations.
Regular Penetration Testing & Vulnerability Scanning
Overview:
Sekurno expanded RAKwireless’ security testing framework by incorporating continuous vulnerability scanning across internal and external systems alongside existing penetration testing protocols.
Result:
Strengthened threat detection and remediation by enabling early identification of vulnerabilities and threats, minimizing the likelihood of breaches and improving compliance with enterprise security requirements. This approach ensured that no critical or high-severity issues compromised essential business operations of RAKwireless.
Information Security Awareness
Overview:
Sekurno designed and launched a tailored security awareness program to educate RAKwireless employees on cybersecurity best practices and the evolving threat landscape.
Result:
Cultivated a security-conscious workforce, reducing human errors that could lead to security incidents and strengthening compliance with security policies.
Certification Audit
Overview:
Sekurno guided RAKwireless through the ISO 27001 certification process, assisting in the selection of an accredited audit body and preparing the organization for a successful audit.
Result:
Achieved ISO 27001 certification, demonstrating RAKwireless’ commitment to security, improving market positioning, and facilitating enterprise-level partnerships.
This structured and strategic engagement not only fortified RAKwireless’ security framework but also delivered tangible business value, including regulatory compliance, improved market competitiveness, and enhanced trust with enterprise clients, paving the way for scalable growth.
Key Results
The collaboration with Sekurno and the implementation of the ISO 27001 framework yielded significant benefits for RAKwireless, addressing the company’s key security challenges:
Conclusions
RAKwireless’s journey toward achieving ISO 27001 certification and enhancing their security posture offers valuable insights for other companies navigating similar challenges in the IoT and tech industries. By adopting a proactive and risk-based approach to security, RAKwireless not only improved their ability to respond to threats but also ensured compliance with crucial regulations like GDPR, unlocking new business opportunities and solidifying partnerships with key clients.
The implementation of a centralized security strategy and the integration of comprehensive employee awareness programs have fortified the company’s resilience, enabling them to efficiently manage resources and prioritize the most critical risks. This case study underscores the importance of aligning security efforts with business goals to foster growth, improve customer trust, and maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.
Vendor assessments and RFIs for enterprise clients: As RAKwireless continues to expand with enterprise customers, it faces frequent vendor assessments and requests for information (RFIs). Failure to meet client security standards during these evaluations could jeopardize potential business partnerships and contracts.