The Internet of Things (IoT) presents a unique cybersecurity challenge due to its vast network of interconnected, resource-constrained devices. These vulnerabilities not only threaten data integrity but also the overall functionality of IoT systems. This study addresses these challenges by exploring efficient data reduction techniques within a model-based intrusion detection system (IDS) for IoT environments. Specifically, the study explores the efficacy of an autoencoder’s latent space combined with three different classification techniques. Utilizing a validated IoT dataset, particularly focusing on the (...) Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP), the study seeks to develop a robust model capable of identifying security breaches targeting this protocol. The research culminates in a comprehensive evaluation, presenting encouraging results that demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodologies in strengthening IoT cybersecurity with more than a 99% of precision using only 2 learned features. (shrink)