Provider of cellular IoT solutions, Aeris, and mobile company Bridge Alliance, have announced the launch of Aeris IoT Watchtower in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. The agentless solution provides companies with a complete view of how vulnerable their IoT devices are to cyber threats, letting them take the necessary steps to avoid and/or treat cyberattacks from this often-exploited vector.

Aeris currently manages cellular IoT connectivity to telecom operators that are part of Bridge Alliance Members Operators (BMOs) through the Aeris IoT Accelerator (IoTA) platform, and the Watchtower is its next offering in the market sector.

Enterprises face mounting challenges protecting the growing number of cellular-connected IoT devices they use, as hackers increasingly exploit devices. Recent Forrester research discovered IoT devices that are not necessarily counted in company asset lists have become the number one target for corporate cyberattacks. The researchers found current IoT connectivity solutions don’t provide control capabilities nor end-to-end visibility, elements that companies need to find and alleviate cyber threats.

More businesses in sectors like utilities and automotive are harnessing the possibilities provided by cellular IoT to create new revenue streams and enhance connectivity. According to independent industry analyst and consulting firm Berg Insight, 1.1 billion cellular IoT devices are now connected worldwide with an estimated CAGR of 16% in their numbers over the next two years. The rapid growth of global cellular IoT connections is particularly apparent in the APAC region, which currently has 170 million connected cellular IoT devices. The number is forecast to double by 2033.

Aeris IoT Watchtower is already available in the United States and Europe, but in collaboration with Bridge Alliance, it will now be offered to enterprises throughout the APAC region, with Aeris and Bridge Alliance intending to “close the cellular IoT security gap” for companies and organisations making use of cellular connectivity in IoT and IIoT.

The solution consists of the components, Awareness and Enforcement. It helps companies monitor their IoT devices, so security issues can be detected quickly, and regularly checks and reports on security risks, providing detailed information on deployed devices. In turn, this can help enterprises streamline their IoT operations, discover the full extent of their online fleets, and thereby ensure regulatory compliance.

According to Mark Cratsenburg, Chief Commercial Officer for the IoT Business Unit at Aeris, the IoT Watchtower provides enterprises with “complete visibility into their cellular IoT security risks and the ability to neutralise threats before they impact operations, all seamlessly built into their existing cellular data path.”

(Image source: “Desert View Watchtower” by James Marvin Phelps is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.)

See also: China dominates the global cellular IoT market

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