Skip to Content
  • Offices

    Offices

    North & Latin America
    • Atlanta
    • Austin
    • Bogota
    • Boston
    • Buenos Aires
    • Chicago
    • Dallas
    • Denver
    • Houston
    • Los Angeles
    • Mexico City
    • Minneapolis
    • Monterrey
    • Montreal
    • New York
    • Rio de Janeiro
    • San Francisco
    • Santiago
    • São Paulo
    • Seattle
    • Silicon Valley
    • Toronto
    • Washington, DC
    Europe & Africa
    • Amsterdam
    • Athens
    • Berlin
    • Brussels
    • Copenhagen
    • Dusseldorf
    • Frankfurt
    • Helsinki
    • Istanbul
    • Johannesburg
    • Kyiv
    • Lisbon
    • London
    • Madrid
    • Milan
    • Munich
    • Oslo
    • Paris
    • Rome
    • Stockholm
    • Vienna
    • Warsaw
    • Zurich
    Middle East
    • Doha
    • Dubai
    • Riyadh
    Asia & Australia
    • Bangkok
    • Beijing
    • Bengaluru
    • Brisbane
    • Ho Chi Minh City
    • Hong Kong
    • Jakarta
    • Kuala Lumpur
    • Manila
    • Melbourne
    • Mumbai
    • New Delhi
    • Perth
    • Seoul
    • Shanghai
    • Singapore
    • Sydney
    • Tokyo
    See all offices
  • Alumni
  • Media Center
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Brazil | Português

    Select your region and language

    Global
    • Global (English)
    North & Latin America
    • Brazil (Português)
    • Argentina (Español)
    • Canada (Français)
    • Chile (Español)
    • Colombia (Español)
    Europe, Middle East, & Africa
    • France (Français)
    • DACH Region (Deutsch)
    • Italy (Italiano)
    • Spain (Español)
    • Greece (Elliniká)
    Asia & Australia
    • China (中文版)
    • Korea (한국어)
    • Japan (日本語)
  • Saved items (0)
    Saved items (0)

    You have no saved items.

    Bookmark content that interests you and it will be saved here for you to read or share later.

    Explore Bain Insights
  • Industries
    Main menu

    Industries

    • Aeroespacial e Defesa
    • Agronegócio
    • Química
    • Construção e Infraestrutura
    • Bens de Consumo
    • Serviços Financeiros
    • Healthcare & Life Sciences
    • Máquinas e Equipamentos Industriais
    • Mídia e Entretenimento
      Industries
      Mídia e Entretenimento
      • Media Lab
    • Metais
    • Mineração
    • Petróleo e Gás
    • Papel e Embalagens
    • Private Equity
      Industries
      Private Equity
      • Due Diligence
      • Exit Planning
      • Firm Strategy & Operations
      • Portfolio Value Creation
    • Setor Público e Social
    • Varejo
    • Tecnologia
    • Telecomunicações
      Industries
      Telecomunicações
      • Capital Expenditure
      • Telco Digital Transformation
    • Transporte
    • Turismo & Lazer
    • Energia & Renováveis
  • Consulting Services
    Main menu

    Consulting Services

    • Customer Experience
    • Sustainability
    • Innovation
    • M&A
    • Operations
    • People & Organization
    • Private Equity
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Strategy
    • AI, Insights, and Solutions
    • Technology
    • Transformation
  • Digital
  • Insights
    Main menu

    Insights

    • Industry Insights
    • Services Insights
    • Bain Books
    • Webinars
    • Bain Futures
    View all Insights
    Featured topics
    • Tariff Response
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Thriving in Uncertainty
    • Executive Conversations
    • Macro Trends
    • M&A Report
    • Healthcare Private Equity Report
    • Paper & Packaging Report
    • Technology Report
    • CEO's Guide to Sustainability
    • CEO Insights
    • CFO Insights
    • COO Insights
    • CIO Insights
    • CMO Insights
    View all featured topics
  • About
    Main menu

    About

    • What We Do
    • What We Believe
    • Our People & Leadership
    • Client Results
    • Awards & Recognition
    • Global Affiliations
    Further: Our global responsibility
    • Sustainability
    • Social Impact
    • World Economic Forum
    Learn more about Further
  • Carreiras
    Main menu

    Carreiras

    • Trabalhe Conosco
      Carreiras
      Trabalhe Conosco
      • Find Your Place
      • Nossas áreas de trabalho
      • Equipes integradas
      • Estudantes
      • Programas e estágios
      • Eventos de Recrutamento
    • A Vida na Bain
      Carreiras
      A Vida na Bain
      • Blog: Inside Bain
      • Histórias de carreira
      • Nossas pessoas
      • Onde trabalhamos
      • Apoioao seu crescimento
      • Grupos de afinidade
      • Benefícios
    • Impact Stories
    • Nosso Processo Seletivo
      Carreiras
      Nosso Processo Seletivo
      • O Que Esperar
      • Entrevistas
    FIND JOBS
  • Offices
    Main menu

    Offices

    • North & Latin America
      Offices
      North & Latin America
      • Atlanta
      • Austin
      • Bogota
      • Boston
      • Buenos Aires
      • Chicago
      • Dallas
      • Denver
      • Houston
      • Los Angeles
      • Mexico City
      • Minneapolis
      • Monterrey
      • Montreal
      • New York
      • Rio de Janeiro
      • San Francisco
      • Santiago
      • São Paulo
      • Seattle
      • Silicon Valley
      • Toronto
      • Washington, DC
    • Europe & Africa
      Offices
      Europe & Africa
      • Amsterdam
      • Athens
      • Berlin
      • Brussels
      • Copenhagen
      • Dusseldorf
      • Frankfurt
      • Helsinki
      • Istanbul
      • Johannesburg
      • Kyiv
      • Lisbon
      • London
      • Madrid
      • Milan
      • Munich
      • Oslo
      • Paris
      • Rome
      • Stockholm
      • Vienna
      • Warsaw
      • Zurich
    • Middle East
      Offices
      Middle East
      • Doha
      • Dubai
      • Riyadh
    • Asia & Australia
      Offices
      Asia & Australia
      • Bangkok
      • Beijing
      • Bengaluru
      • Brisbane
      • Ho Chi Minh City
      • Hong Kong
      • Jakarta
      • Kuala Lumpur
      • Manila
      • Melbourne
      • Mumbai
      • New Delhi
      • Perth
      • Seoul
      • Shanghai
      • Singapore
      • Sydney
      • Tokyo
    See all offices
  • Alumni
  • Media Center
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Brazil | Português
    Main menu

    Select your region and language

    • Global
      Select your region and language
      Global
      • Global (English)
    • North & Latin America
      Select your region and language
      North & Latin America
      • Brazil (Português)
      • Argentina (Español)
      • Canada (Français)
      • Chile (Español)
      • Colombia (Español)
    • Europe, Middle East, & Africa
      Select your region and language
      Europe, Middle East, & Africa
      • France (Français)
      • DACH Region (Deutsch)
      • Italy (Italiano)
      • Spain (Español)
      • Greece (Elliniká)
    • Asia & Australia
      Select your region and language
      Asia & Australia
      • China (中文版)
      • Korea (한국어)
      • Japan (日本語)
  • Saved items  (0)
    Main menu
    Saved items (0)

    You have no saved items.

    Bookmark content that interests you and it will be saved here for you to read or share later.

    Explore Bain Insights
  • Industries
    • Industries

      • Aeroespacial e Defesa
      • Agronegócio
      • Química
      • Construção e Infraestrutura
      • Bens de Consumo
      • Serviços Financeiros
      • Healthcare & Life Sciences
      • Máquinas e Equipamentos Industriais
      • Mídia e Entretenimento
      • Metais
      • Mineração
      • Petróleo e Gás
      • Papel e Embalagens
      • Private Equity
      • Setor Público e Social
      • Varejo
      • Tecnologia
      • Telecomunicações
      • Transporte
      • Turismo & Lazer
      • Energia & Renováveis
  • Consulting Services
    • Consulting Services

      • Customer Experience
      • Sustainability
      • Innovation
      • M&A
      • Operations
      • People & Organization
      • Private Equity
      • Sales & Marketing
      • Strategy
      • AI, Insights, and Solutions
      • Technology
      • Transformation
  • Digital
  • Insights
    • Insights

      • Industry Insights
      • Services Insights
      • Bain Books
      • Webinars
      • Bain Futures
      View all Insights
      Featured topics
      • Tariff Response
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Thriving in Uncertainty
      • Executive Conversations
      • Macro Trends
      • M&A Report
      • Healthcare Private Equity Report
      • Paper & Packaging Report
      • Technology Report
      • CEO's Guide to Sustainability
      • CEO Insights
      • CFO Insights
      • COO Insights
      • CIO Insights
      • CMO Insights
      View all featured topics
  • About
    • About

      • What We Do
      • What We Believe
      • Our People & Leadership
      • Client Results
      • Awards & Recognition
      • Global Affiliations
      Further: Our global responsibility
      • Sustainability
      • Social Impact
      • World Economic Forum
      Learn more about Further
  • Carreiras
    Popular Searches
    • Agile
    • Digital
    • Strategy
    Your Previous Searches
      Recently Visited Pages

      Content added to saved items

      Saved items (0)

      Removed from saved items

      Saved items (0)

      WSJ's The Experts

      How Security Concerns Are Holding Back the Internet of Things

      How Security Concerns Are Holding Back the Internet of Things

      Research shows that business customers would be willing to buy substantially more IoT devices if their concerns about cybersecurity risks were addressed.

      By James Allen

      • min read

      Article

      How Security Concerns Are Holding Back the Internet of Things
      en

      This article originally appeared on WSJ's The Experts.

      The Internet of Things—digital devices embedded in products ranging from oil drills to wireless syringe pumps in hospitals—continues to grow, but the huge potential for further expansion has been hindered by a nagging problem: concerns about cybersecurity.

      Research by my Bain & Co. colleagues finds that business customers would be willing to buy substantially more IoT devices if their concerns about cybersecurity risks were addressed—on average, at least 70% more than what they might buy if their concerns remain unresolved. And 93% of the executives we surveyed say they would pay an average of 22% more for devices with better security. The survey covered executives from companies based in the U.S., Canada, Europe and China.

      Most executives surveyed (60%) say they are very concerned about the risks IoT devices pose to their companies—not surprising, given the damage that a breach of poorly protected devices can cause to operations, revenue and safety. Several large data breaches or debilitating attacks, such as the Mirai and Okiru malware attacks, have occurred over the past couple of years.

      Only about a third of IoT security solutions today come from IoT device vendors, suggesting that vendors are either not offering holistic, high-quality solutions that meet customers’ needs, or not promoting them well enough.

      That’s particularly vexing for businesses with only basic cybersecurity capabilities, because these companies are the most likely to seek out simplified and integrated security solutions, rather than developing their own. While most businesses would like a cohesive set of tools and a unified overview of the security posture of their devices, few device makers understand their customers’ operations well enough to provide that kind of solution.

      Our research also indicates that executives within certain industries—durable goods, building and construction, energy and utilities, financial services, health care and technology—see themselves at greater risk than others. These concerns reflect industry realities, not merely the perceptions of individual executives.

      Oil and gas producers, for example, rely on tens of thousands of IoT sensors and complex production-control devices at their wells and drilling platforms. Manufacturers’ use of IoT also introduces new risks in industrial environments, as they might deploy devices ranging from sensors to sophisticated, semiautonomous robots. Compromised sensors could lead to data inaccuracies that hinder management’s ability to make critical operational decisions or create inventory problems that wreak havoc across the value chain. On the plant floor, a compromised robotic device could harm workers and other equipment.

      IoT cybersecurity is fairly complicated, as each device has six logic layers that can require security solutions. Lacking well-designed IoT cybersecurity products and services, customers are devising their own solutions, forgoing them altogether or failing to implement solutions until vendors can fill the gap.

      IoT device vendors and solutions providers that move quickly to improve security stand to reap rewards not only from their ability to earn a premium, but also from an expanded market.

      James Allen is co-leader of the global strategy practice at Bain & Co. and co-author of The Founder’s Mentality.

      Authors
      • Headshot of James Allen
        James Allen
        Advisory Partner, London
      Related Industries
      • Cybersecurity
      • Internet of Things
      • Technology
      Related Consulting Services
      • Enterprise Technology
      Technology
      Cybersecurity Is the Key to Unlocking Demand in the Internet of Things

      Enterprise customers would buy more IoT devices if vendors could ensure better security.

      Read more
      Internet of Things
      How Telcos Can Win the 5G Race

      Network operators that ignore the naysayers will be best positioned to win.

      Read more
      Internet of Things
      Coronavirus and Other Shocks: How Resilient Is Your Supply Chain?

      Don’t overlook the risks from second- and third-tier suppliers.

      Read more
      Internet of Things
      IoT Vendors Are Falling Short on Customers’ Security Needs

      Only about a third of IoT cybersecurity solutions used today are from device vendors.

      Read more
      Technology
      How Businesses Can Prepare for Post-Quantum Cybersecurity Threats

      Your company will soon face attackers armed with quantum technology. Will you be ready?

      Read more
      First published in setembro 2018
      Tags
      • Cybersecurity
      • Enterprise Technology
      • Internet of Things
      • Internet of Things
      • Technology

      How We've Helped Clients

      Can Microchips Turbocharge Sustainability Improvement?

      See more related case studies

      How a Data-Driven Mindset Powers McAfee’s Growth

      See more related case studies

      Helping a Midsize ERP Player Compete against the Giants

      See more related case studies

      Quer saber mais?

      Ajudamos líderes do mundo todo a lidar com desafios e oportunidades cruciais para suas organizações. Juntos, criamos mudanças e resultados duradouros.

      Bain Insights. Our perspectives on critical issues global businesses face in today's challenging environment, delivered monthly.

      *I have read and understand Bain’s Privacy Notice.

      Please read and agree to the Privacy Policy.
      Bain & Company
      Contact us Sustainability Accessibility Terms of use Privacy Cookie Policy Sitemap Log In

      © 1996-2026 Bain & Company, Inc.

      Contact Bain

      How can we help you?

      • Business inquiry
      • Career information
      • Press relations
      • Partnership request
      • Speaker request
      See all offices