INTERNET OF THINGS SECURITY: AN EVALUATIVE STUDY ON VULNERABILITIES AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES

Abstract

This study presents an evaluative approach to identifying vulnerabilities and mitigation strategies in Internet of Things (IoT) environments, considering the rapid expansion of connected devices and the lack of standardized security protocols. The methodology is exploratory, based on a systematic literature review from 2020 to 2025 and analysis of technical reports, applying criteria such as impact, frequency, and mitigation cost. The findings reveal that 75% of the vulnerabilities are linked to insufficient encryption and weak authentication in widely adopted protocols like MQTT and CoAP. Critical sectors such as healthcare and smart cities are disproportionately affected, with direct consequences for data privacy and service continuity. The study concludes that hybrid security strategies—integrating advanced encryption, intelligent intrusion detection, and security-by-design principles—are essential to enhance resilience in IoT systems. Future research should focus on embedded artificial intelligence models for real-time threat detection and the development of regulatory frameworks tailored to the specific challenges of connected devices.