This assignment is an individual technical report focused on the security evaluation and strategic development of a rapidly expanding Internet of Things (IoT) systems developer based in Coventry. The client specialises in innovative IoT devices and systems for residential and commercial applications, particularly smart energy monitoring, and is planning to scale its operations and expand into new markets. The report is designed to provide practical and strategic guidance on how the organisation can achieve this growth while maintaining strong cybersecurity. The assignment requires students to act as an external IoT Security and Scaling Strategist and critically evaluate the organisation’s current and future security needs. The report covers four principal areas: organisational change strategy, secure design and development strategy, security audit strategy, and security recommendations. The organisational change section considers internal and external factors influencing growth, the development and implementation of an organisational strategy, monitoring against objectives, and approaches to leading and managing strategic change using relevant change management theories and models. The secure design and development section requires an overview and evaluation of possible secure design processes for IoT systems, including their strengths and weaknesses, followed by a recommendation for an appropriate process. The security audit section examines methods such as PTES and OWASP and develops a guide for conducting a security audit, including the testing methodology, rationale for each stage, and evaluation of different approaches. The security recommendations section requires a case study of an IoT security vulnerability, examination of where the security flaw was introduced, assessment of weaknesses in the secure design or audit process, consideration of the resulting security impact, and recommendations for improvement. The report should be written for a technical audience, particularly the client’s software development team, and should use appropriate structure, technical language, diagrams where useful, and APA referencing. The organisational strategy and strategic change proposal should be included in appendices and referenced within the main report. The assessment is worth 30 credits and has a maximum word count of 4,500 words, with the main sections weighted across organisational change, secure design, security auditing, security recommendations, and report structure.
IoT Security · Cybersecurity · Connected Systems · Secure Design · Secure Software Development · Security Audit · Security Testing · Penetration Testing · OWASP · PTES · Organisational Strategy · Strategic Change
Megaminds has supported academic requirements in security of connected systems, security of connected systems and related disciplines.