Dave Waterson on Security

Comments I’ve seen indicate that many are concerned about the advent of IoT. Specifically, misgivings are about the security and privacy of data. Historically, the information technology sector has not had a good track record with security and privacy, and people are worried that more connected devices will only exacerbate the situation.
Continue reading →

Thelma Arnold, a 62-year old widow living in Lilburn Georgia with her beloved dog Dudley, was quietly minding her own business. Dudley had an incontinent problem and consequently peed on everything. In 2006 Mrs Arnold was suddenly thrust into the spotlight. An employee at her ISP thought it would benefit academic researchers if he published the anonymised 3-month search histories of more than half a million of their customers. Little did the over-zealous employee realise, but individuals can be identified from snippets of anonymous information, such as their search history. A reporter examined the published search history of person #4417749, and through the search items was able to identify Mrs Arnold and track her down.
Continue reading →

It was late at night in Arlington county on 16th January 1991. An unusual number of lights were on in the offices of the Pentagon. The employee car park was much fuller than normal. Another telling indication a keen observer would have noticed was the frequency of late-night pizza deliveries to the building. This seemingly innocuous information indicated something big was up at US Defence HQ. It was of course, the start of Operation Desert Storm. One local pizza outlet reported deliveries to the Pentagon up 600% that night. Seemingly innocuous data can lead an acute observer to infer meaningful information and conclude that a military offensive was imminent.
Continue reading →

Forbes magazine coined the term “god platform”. At the nucleus of IoT is a Command Centre that provides the user interface, data storage and sharing junction. The million dollar question is how to secure the “god platform” and the IoT ecosystem.
Continue reading →

Aspects of the California gold rush of 1849, and the oil rush in Pennsylvania ten years later followed by similar events at Spindletop, Texas in 1901, are being repeated today as large companies rush to stake their claim in the rapidly emerging IoT world. Recognising the hugely lucrative potential of IoT, the largest information technology companies in the world are rapidly developing and acquiring technology in order to own a piece of the landscape.
Continue reading →

There is much anticipation about the impending growth explosion of devices in the Internet of Things (IoT). Apparently our lives are about to be inundated with connected devices such as the Dash Button, a learning thermostat, and security cameras that stream to our smartphone. Interconnectivity will improve the functionality of many of these devices. Our alarm clock for example can perhaps do a better job with inputs from our diary and traffic conditions.
Continue reading →

I got into this line of work because I like the physicality of the job. A couple of times a day, my boss Jack, presses a button and I spring into action, lifting the heavy double-garage door at a nice steady pace, and then lowering it gently after he has driven in or out. Jack is a bit of a yuppie, and I work in a lovely home – it is a pleasure doing the heavy lifting for Jack each day. I get my kicks from being reliable and consistent, and a daily physical workout is simply a perk of the job.
Continue reading →

The world is rapidly moving onto the next big thing, not social this time, but physical – the Internet of Things (IoT). In the world of IoT, many more physical objects will be interconnected, and connected to the internet, sending and receiving information. The physical world is becoming an interconnected information system, creating a hyper-connected future.
Continue reading →