Three Quarters of Enterprises Hit by IoT Attacks as Device Security Becomes ‘Weakest Link’

New Eseye report finds 75% of businesses suffered an IoT security breach in the last year, a sharp rise from 50% in 2024

Device security has become the weakest link in the enterprise IoT chain, as new data reveals nearly three-quarters (75%) of businesses were exposed to a cyber security breach in the past 12 months, a dramatic increase from 50% in 2024. The finding comes from the new 2025 State of IoT report from global IoT firm Eseye.

The EV Charging (82%) and Manufacturing (85%) sectors were the hardest hit, with the report further warning that poor connectivity is amplifying these security risks and creating significant operational consequences. When asked about the top risks their company faces due to connectivity limitations, leaders cited a cluster of critical issues, including the inability to gather timely and accurate data (36%), failure to meet regulatory compliance (36%), and damage to company reputation due to connectivity issues or security incidents (36%).

Paul Marshall, Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer at Eseye, commented: “Security isn't a check-box exercise, it's a continuous, year-round commitment. Organisations must embed a security-first mindset into every stage of the IoT lifecycle, from initial device design to long-term deployment and maintenance. I strongly advise proactively assessing vulnerabilities. A crucial step is to engage a trusted, independent third party to perform an advanced penetration test. This is the only way for them to genuinely stress-test their entire architecture and ensure their devices remain robust and resilient against the ever-evolving threat landscape."

The report, based on insights from 1,200 senior Enterprise IoT decision-makers, highlights a critical shift in risk perception towards the network edge. A growing security concern is evident, with 76% of businesses now attributing most IoT project failures to vulnerabilities at the device level - up significantly from 58% the previous year. This surge underscores the increasing recognition that endpoint security gaps are not just operational issues but core threats to enterprise resilience and data integrity.

Research methodology

The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 1,200 senior decision makers and implementers of IoT strategy (who have undertaken at least 1 IoT project in the last 12 months), with IoT devices deployed across at least 3 countries and that connect through cellular networks. (Minimum of 50 respondents per market per sector in the following industry sectors: Supply chain / logistics, Healthcare / medical devices (telehealth), Manufacturing (consumer electronics etc), EV charging / Smart Grid, Smart Vending (not retail per se) and Agritech (i.e. companies leading with animal livestock technology, crop health and protection, agriculture manufacturers).

Company size must be 500+ employees. (600 respondents across the UK and 600 respondents across the USA).

The data was collected between 28.05.2025 - 03.06.2025.

Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.