Infotech Lead Europe:M2M applications security market is expected to show strong growth over the next five years, with global revenues hitting $198 million by 2018, says ABI Research.M2M services have attracted the attention of carriers globally due to the growing security concerns in M2M applications. Most M2M applications are lacking the basic security requirements that have been a non-negotiable standard for information and communication technologies elsewhere.
Security concerns left unaddressed any longer could become a hindrance to the successful adoption of M2M in healthcare, industrial installations, and consumer homes.
According to Mads Winblad, CEO, NextM2M A/S, at present there are more than 2 billion M2M connections of which more than 100 million are cellular, i.e. based on transmission via mobile networks. In 2022 it is expected to be 18 billion M2M connections of which 2.6 billion are based on mobile technology. At that time 22 percent of all mobile connections will be M2M compared to 2 percent at present.
Significant efforts need to be invested into M2M application security in order for the M2M market to fully evolve. The demand for increased M2M application security will have to be met through open source initiatives or standards development. The horizontal evolution of M2M will require full end-to-end security.
“The market’s ability to respond to security challenges at the application level is still underdeveloped,” says Michela Menting, senior analyst in cyber security. “When faced with security requirements, the focus has been to tighten the screws at the network level, often to the detriment of the application, leaving it unpatched and exposed.” Patchy security is exposing vulnerabilities in a large number of use-case scenarios, including SCADA systems, telemedicine, and telemetry.
A number of M2M vendors have already started focusing on M2M application security in their attempt o anticipate future market opportunities. The report highlights pertinent solutions from Axeda, ILS Technology, Gemalto, Novatel Wireless, and Sierra Wireless in this area.
