editor's blog
Subscribe Now

IoT Paranoia – Not a Bad Thing

While the Internet of Things (IoT) is full of promise, there’s one word that summarizes all that people fear about it: security.

We got to hear a bit about that at a session dedicated to the topic at the recent Internet of Things Engineering Summit co-conference at EE Live. Presented by consultant George Neville-Neil, it wasn’t about technology per se; it was about our state of mind.

Most of us believe it’s important to keep intruders out. His main takeaway: assume they will get in. Because, eventually, they will. Building sturdy walls is good and important, but planning for what happens next is also important.

What caught my ear in particular is one of the less-obvious possible consequences of not minding the store properly: a “consent decree.” I’ve heard the term in a generic sense, but it’s not obvious what the implications are if you’ve never had one (which I haven’t, which is why I asked). Apparently, if you’ve been careless with security, a consent decree allows the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to become your overseer, getting all up in your business and stepping in when they want. Most of all, the documentation required during the term of the decree sounds particularly onerous. So… avoid this.

That aside, the following are my attempt to summarize his supporting recommendations (“attempt” because I was writing furiously to keep up):

  • Shrink the “attack surface” (i.e., expose less). Meaning, drivers, daemons, features, debug access, web servers, data loggers, etc.
  • Separate out “concerns.” I.e., no processes with root access or super-control; restrict access to data. Nothing gets access to anything irrelevant.
  • “Defense in Depth” – rings of security. What happens when the first wall is breached?
  • Provide only those features really needed. (OK, marketing will have a fun time with this. You know the drill:
    • Marketing: Here are the features we need in the next release.
    • Engineering: You can’t have them all; which ones do you really need?
    • Marketing: We need them all. We didn’t bother asking for the nice-to-haves.
    • Engineering: Well, which of these do you need least?

In other words, marketing probably already thinks they’re getting less than the really-needed features.)

  • Be conservative in what data you accept and send.
  • Review your code.
  • Review other people’s code – especially when incorporating someone else’s code or IP. Do an internet search for the package along with words like “crash” or swear words to find red flags.
  • Use “sandboxing” to provide isolation.
  • Use automation to test and analyze your code. Oh, and don’t forget to look at the results.
  • And, the bottom line, “Plan for Compromise.”

And sleep with one eye open. Because They’re coming, you know…

Leave a Reply

featured blogs
Mar 29, 2024
By Mark Williams, Sr Software Engineering Group Director Translator: Masaru Yasukawa 差動アンプはã1つの入力信号ではなく2つの入力信号間の差にゲインをé...
Mar 26, 2024
Learn how GPU acceleration impacts digital chip design implementation, expanding beyond chip simulation to fulfill compute demands of the RTL-to-GDSII process.The post Can GPUs Accelerate Digital Design Implementation? appeared first on Chip Design....
Mar 21, 2024
The awesome thing about these machines is that you are limited only by your imagination, and I've got a GREAT imagination....

featured video

We are Altera. We are for the innovators.

Sponsored by Intel

Today we embark on an exciting journey as we transition to Altera, an Intel Company. In a world of endless opportunities and challenges, we are here to provide the flexibility needed by our ecosystem of customers and partners to pioneer and accelerate innovation. As we leap into the future, we are committed to providing easy-to-design and deploy leadership programmable solutions to innovators to unlock extraordinary possibilities for everyone on the planet.

To learn more about Altera visit: http://intel.com/altera

featured chalk talk

Stepper Motor Basics & Toshiba Motor Control Solutions
Sponsored by Mouser Electronics and Toshiba
Stepper motors offer a variety of benefits that can add value to many different kinds of electronic designs. In this episode of Chalk Talk, Amelia Dalton and Doug Day from Toshiba examine the different types of stepper motors, the solutions to drive these motors, and how the active gain control and ADMD of Toshiba’s motor control solutions can make all the difference in your next design.
Sep 29, 2023
23,462 views