Plastics manufacturers and shippers the world over have access to more efficient packaging and logistics than ever before thanks to smart new technologies. Specifically, smart packaging is helping to improve the shipping, tracking, and end recipient experience.
By using smart codes and QR and RFID technologies, for example, it’s easier than ever to track product journeys, to monitor package conditions, and to verify that a parcel is legitimate.
The global market for smart packaging is set to reach $46.9 billion by 2033, at a CAGR of 6.20%. However, alongside increased adoption, plastics manufacturers and smart packaging adopters need to be vigilant about growing cyberthreat numbers and sophistication, too.
Understanding the Risks of IoT-Enabled Smart Packaging
Smart packaging within the plastics industry, for example, that which relies on RFID tagging, revolves around the Internet of Things, or IoT. IoT refers to devices, sensors, and tags that communicate with each other, collecting data, and sharing data on request.
IoT has helped businesses and end recipients gain greater visibility of packages on route, and it’s continuing to boost efficiency across broad supply chains. However, there are major cybersecurity risks involved with IoT which, unfortunately, show no sign of slowing down.
According to data obtained by Jumpcloud from sources such as IBM and Verizon, IoT devices are not only responsible for a third of all data breaches, period, it’s also thought that over half of them have critical vulnerabilities hackers can easily exploit.
Weaknesses in IoT-enabled smart packaging and the processes they support can include:
- Unseen vulnerabilities in outdated firmware or weak code in IoT applications
- Cloning and counterfeiting of smart packaging labels
- Outdated or legacy systems still used in the communication chain
- Vulnerabilities transferred through third parties elsewhere in the supply chain
- Physical tampering of labels or technology through insider threats
Unfortunately, it also stands to reason that the more you digitalize your processes, the broader your potential attack surface will grow.
If any company in plastics provision or elsewhere is to adopt smart packaging end-to-end, it must take proactive steps to ensure the technology in place can be trusted, and that vulnerabilities are regularly addressed.
When it comes to internal weaknesses that may affect smart packaging controls, for example, many companies rely on regular penetration testing to ensure there are no endpoints in their operations where hackers can exploit them.
Implementing Robust Cybersecurity Measures in Smart Packaging
Beyond vulnerability scanning and penetration testing, there are various ways plastics brands can take better care of their smart packaging cybersecurity. For example, they might ensure:
- All IoT devices and software are kept up to date with the latest security patches
- Team members are meticulously trained on data security measures
- Hardware is cycled out when it reaches end-of-life
- All data processed is encrypted and stored securely
- All third parties they partner with on the supply chain are carefully vetted and pre-approved
- No one unnecessarily adds devices and endpoints to reduce attack surfaces
- Networks are segmented so that smart packaging attacks are restricted to one specific data zone
- Artificial intelligence is deployed to learn how to spot threats and lock down processes
Ultimately, any company relying on IoT and deploying smart technology should be proactive and vigilant, and adopt a zero-tolerance approach to threats. In fact, around nine in ten companies globally use a zero-trust architecture approach.
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