Idaho-based Cradlepoint has launched a multipurpose IoT router to provide a zero-trust security service for enterprises.

The Ericsson subsidiary is a specialist in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network edge products. Coupled with Cradlepoint’s NetCloud Exchange secure connect, the S700 service provides a comprehensive cloud-managed network to safeguard IoT devices as the attack surface expands and criminals increasingly target connected devices.

An estimated 41.76 billion IoT devices exist globally in 2023. With shipments of these devices expected to grow 18% annually, the IoT is driving device sprawl despite not being equipped to use modern security methods. As the attack surface expands and cyber criminals become more sophisticated, it is clear many organisations are not prepared to address IoT security needs.

For IT teams to manage distributed IoT networks effectively, organisations need an efficient zero-trust approach to security. This includes easing the setup and maintenance of IoT services, while enabling fine-grained policies to allow access for third-party management of devices.

The S700 and NetCloud Exchange delivers a zero-trust service for IoT that removes deployment complexity and is suitable for enterprise lean IT scenarios.

Any IoT device connected to the router is immediately dark to public scans and other internal sites. Access policies are easily defined so IoT devices communicate only with their authorised resources on a least-privilege basis.

Orchestrated with only a few clicks through a cloud-based management system, the S700 removes deployment and management complexity and builds effective zero-trust encrypted tunnels over cellular and wired links.

IoT devices connected to a small router can still have access to full modern security services including zero trust. The S700 adds simplicity by offloading the security processes to a services gateway, which holds the security policies, manages router updates including security patches, and orchestrates processes.

Over 60% of WANs are now serving outside users and suppliers, so protecting third-party access to IoT equipment has broad implications. With the Cradlepoint offering, fine-grained policies can be added to the zero-trust services gateway allowing third-party access to all or part of the management system of an IoT device behind the Cradlepoint router.

“As the network expands and we see more sophisticated cyber threats, it’s evident that IoT networks will need to be rearchitected,” said Chantal Polsonetti, industry analyst at Arc Advisory Group. “By off-loading security from the perimeter to a distributed zero-trust architecture, Cradlepoint is offering IoT devices access to a collection of robust security services that have traditionally not been available on typical IoT routers.”

As a multipurpose IoT router for the enterprise, the S700 connects light industrial, smart city, IoT and portable devices over cellular, wifi and wired links. Offering a variety of connectivity options through LTE, two Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections and dual-band Wifi 6 options, the S700 also adds features such as active GNSS and GPS for asset tracking, and GPIO pins to control and monitor external sensors.

“IT teams have more responsibilities and less time, even as organisations deploy more connected devices,” said Donna Johnson, senior vice president at Cradlepoint. “Last year, we launched NetCloud Exchange as an advanced security and SD-WAN extension to Cradlepoint NetCloud to make managing security threats easier for those teams. The S700 with zero-trust capabilities shows our commitment to 5G – and security-first services to support enterprise WAN transformation – at scale.

Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, Cradlepoint is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ericsson. It has offices in Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe, India and Latin America.