Powered by the forces of the cloud, connected endpoints, wireless technologies, and big data, the Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) evolutions are forming a “perfect storm” for software engineering teams. The new landscape for embedded devices means increased connectivity and confidential data storage and transmission. However, current manufacturers are still developing products using old and entrenched supply chain, engineering, and quality assurance processes that weren’t designed for the complexities of today’s highly-connected “smart” devices.  Also engineering teams are utilizing a progressively diverse set of suppliers and relying on 3rd party software to save time while trying to satisfy the business and market thirst for IoT demands.

So how do device software processes evolve to better protect our next-generation IoT devices?  First, it starts with a sound plan that includes next-generation software assurance and a “security-first” methodology. Teams need to rethink how they deliver software quickly – with security, safety, and quality in mind from design to deployment.  Here’s a 4-step guide to security assurance for IoT devices.