Concept: American cybersecurity startup Viakoo has launched an automated IoT device management platform called ‘Action Platform’ to manage, secure, update firmware, ensure device password compliance, and provide IoT device certificates. It is an agentless platform that offers vulnerability scanning, device classification, remediation, and repatriation on a large scale. This enables organizations to identify and resolve security vulnerabilities on IoT devices and ensure that these devices are safe and secure.

Nature of Disruption: The action platform provides a complete remediation solution that includes automated patching and configuration management. It can manage all firmware upgrades, zero-trust certificate issuance and management, and password enforcement. The platform resolves IoT device vulnerabilities and also enables them to reintegrate into the corporate network as active participants. It helps to self-configure, deploy, and perform a complete range of automated IoT device management functions on all IoT devices, including those that are tightly coupled. The action platform provides a single-pane, real-time view of any IoT device, including medical equipment, point-of-sale systems, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), building access systems, video security, and other internet protocol (IP)-based devices. It assists in detecting and fixing over 80% of device problems or when firmware, certificates, or password upgrades are required. The platform offers a zero-trust environment ensuring all devices have current network certificates such as 802.1x and rotated passwords to keep the infrastructure secure from attack. It can seamlessly integrate with IoT device management software or discovery platforms like Armis and Forescout. Moreover, the modern web interface, mobile application, representational state transfer application programming interfaces (REST APIs), database, and email support aid in optimizing the value of infrastructure investment.

Outlook: The increasing security concerns like cyberattacks and software vulnerabilities can make many customers refrain from using IoT devices. These security concerns are significant for organizations across multiple sectors that include retail, finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics that adopt IoT devices. Viakoo’s security platform can address ongoing and evolving physical security challenges and reduce risks and liabilities. It is an automated, agentless, scalable solution for enterprise IoT device management. The startup intends to demonstrate its action platform and its suite of innovative modules at GSX 2022, in September 2022. In October 2021, Viakoo raised $10 million in Series A funding led by Shasta Ventures. It intends to utilize these funds to expand executive leadership and investment in product development and go-to-market.

This article was originally published in Verdict.co.uk