A study from Juniper Research projected that the number of IoT devices protected by cybersecurity solutions globally is set to double to 28 billion by 2028, due to mounting security challenges posed by network complexity.

This predicted jump indicates a growth of more than 100 per cent over the next four years, up from 14 billion in 2024. Additionally, the IoT cybersecurity market is expected to reach $51 billion by 2028, driven partially by small-to-medium enterprise (SMEs) adoption.

The report explained that while expanding IoT ecosystems have boosted business efficiency and connectivity, increased network complexity leads to each device posing as a potential entry point for attackers. It warned that weak IoT systems risk data breaches, financial loss, and regulatory non-compliance.

With increasing digitalisation among SMEs, researchers identified zero-trust architecture (ZTA) as a key cybersecurity solution for IoT devices.

Since ZTA operates on continuous authentication and real-time threat detection under the principle that no device should be trusted, the report highlighted that the technology would mitigate security risks more efficiently. Additionally, ZTA’s scalability would enable deployment across expanding IoT systems.

To harness the predicted growth in the market, research author Michelle Joynson stated that 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 study, titled “Smart Defences for Smart Devices: AI in IoT Cybersecurity”, covered a dataset of more than 18,200 market statistics over five years.