The global number of IoT devices protected by cyber security will reach 28 billion by 2028, up from 14 billion in 2024, according to Juniper Research.

This represents a growth of over 100% over the next four years. However, despite this sizable growth, the report warned that, as the complexity of IoT networks grows, frameworks that underpin security are increasingly necessary to counter fragmented approaches to IoT cyber security.

With weak IoT security, enterprise IoT users risk events such as data breaches, financial losses and regulatory non-compliance. To best position IoT networks against these threats, the study identified the implementation of zero-trust architecture (ZTA) frameworks as a priority.

ZTA frameworks operate on the principle that no device on a network is to be inherently trusted, requiring constant authentication. These frameworks also offer greater visibility of IoT device activity through continuous authentication, enabling earlier threat detection and mitigation.

Given the scale of expected IoT growth, and rapid digitalisation by small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), these frameworks will need to be deployed across IoT networks of various sizes. As the number of networks grow, vendors must leverage the scalability of ZTA frameworks to ensure cyber security keeps pace.

“The IoT cyber-security market is expected to reach $51bn by 2028, partly driven by adoption from SMEs,” said research author Michelle Joynson. “To capitalise, vendors must simplify their solutions in a time when IoT architectures are becoming increasingly complex, and a greater number of connectivity technologies are used.”

The research suite offers a comprehensive assessment of the IoT cyber-security market to date, including insightful market analysis and in-depth forecasts for 60 countries. The dataset contains over 18,200 market statistics within a five-year period. It includes a competitor leaderboard and product and service analysis to examine the current and future market opportunities.

For more on the report, go to www.juniperresearch.com/research/iot-emerging-technology/iot-security/iot-cybersecurity-market-report.