• • • IOT • • •


WHY SECURITY-BY-DESIGN IS BECOMING FUNDAMENTAL TO IOT DEVICE ENGINEERING


BY SYED ZAEEM HOSAIN, CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF EVANGELIST, AERIS A


single vulnerability in an IoT device is no longer an isolated risk. As cyberattacks become more advanced, especially with the use of AI to exploit weaknesses in embedded software, attackers can replicate that vulnerability at scale across entire industrial deployments.


30 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • APRIL 2026


The result is not just a technical issue, but a source of operational and financial disruption. Recent incidents, such as the disruption at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), highlight how the compromise of a single asset can escalate quickly, affecting supply chains and business continuity. For Syed Zaeem Hosain, this threat landscape points to a broader shift in responsibility. IoT security can no longer be treated as something addressed at deployment. Instead, it must be engineered into devices from the outset and maintained throughout their lifecycle. Manufacturing and industrial environments are particularly exposed. Connected devices are embedded within critical processes, where


disruption can halt production or damage equipment. Unlike traditional IT systems, these devices operate for years in distributed or hard-to-reach locations, making reactive security difficult. Vulnerabilities introduced during design can persist long into the lifecycle, increasing systemic risk.


Designing for lifecycle security A key challenge in IoT device engineering is maintaining security over long operational lifecycles. Devices function reliably in environments where physical access is limited, meaning security must be continuously managed rather than treated as a one-time implementation.


electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk


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