ICT Security-Sécurité PC et Internet

Everyone's talking about the internet of things. They talk about smart lightbulbs programmed to glow purple when it rains, and smoke detectors that do email alerts, and routers that network our houses. But there's one thing they're not talking about, and that could be a problem. No one is asking whether these devices should also be programmed to die when they get old.

This problem will only get worse as the internet of things grows. So many devices that were once unremarkable will morph into mini-computers that hackers will view as targets, things that can be misused for evil purposes. “I don’t think we’re at the point where we can write perfect software,” Geer says.

One way to reduce the danger, Geer says, is to build devices that will eventually die. Maybe we have to: after all, all code has bugs, and in the course of time, these bugs are going to be found and then exploited by a determined attacker.

As we build more and more devices like thermostats and lightbulbs and smart trashcans that are expected to last much longer than a PC or a phone, maybe we need to design them to sign off at the point where they’re no longer supported with software patches. Otherwise, we’re in for a security nightmare.

Learn more:

- http://www.scoop.it/t/securite-pc-et-internet/?tag=Internet+of+things