IoT device monitoring added to Nyansa Voyance

Nyansa, a network traffic analytics provider, has extended its Voyance anomaly detection system to IoT, making it possible to monitor device activity for security threats.

This week, Nyansa launched its IoT Operational Assurance Solution, which companies can buy alone or add to their Nyansa Voyance system. The IoT product integrates with Aruba ClearPass and Cisco Identity Services Engine, which are network administration products for creating and enforcing security and access policies for endpoint devices on a wired and wireless IP network.

The Nyansa Voyance product uses a software crawler -- installed on a dedicated server or virtual machine -- to inspect device packet data taken from a wireless network controller and a switched port analyzer or test access port on a switch or router. The software then sends device activity data to Nyansa's analytics engine on AWS, which flags potential problems and their possible remediation, through the customer's graphical console.

Nyansa has added to Voyance the ability to analyze packet data from network-connected computing devices categorized as IoT. Examples include infusion pumps, electrocardiogram machines and temperature sensors used in healthcare facilities, handheld scanners found in distribution centers, and point-of-sale systems employed in retail.

Additionally, the vendor added algorithms for IoT device classification to its Voyance analytics engine. The Nyansa software also builds a behavioral baseline for each classified device based on activity data drawn across the company's customer base. Voyance reports deviant behavior to users.

The Nyansa Voyance platform also builds a risk profile on each device, based on several factors. They include critical and noncritical devices sharing the same network segment, the misuse of network credentials and communication with suspicious URLs or IP addresses.