The Internet of Things

The expanding Internet of Things has augmented the capabilities of technology while
simultaneously multiplying its vulnerabilities to cyberattacks.

Obeying Moores Law, the Internet has rapidly evolved to become faster, more
accessible, and practically essential to our daily lives. In addition, the fairly recent advent of Wi-
Fi has allowed the Internet to transcend wired connection. As of 2015, 98 percent of Americans
are connected to high-speed wireless Internet (1). Intent on globalizing the trend, technology
giants Facebook and Google plan on unleashing a fleet of high-altitude balloons and drones to
transport data to furthest regions of the world (2).

According to Business Insider, these connections are no longer just used to pull static
content; the Internet has become a place to store complex software and services. Companies
such as Amazon and Microsoft have created hosting platforms that allow companies to store
much of their software remotely. Storing code on remote servers has enabled companies to
bring functionality to smart devices in ways that were once thought impossible. One such use is
the analyzing of data collected by IoT devices (3).

An increased efficiency is needed to combat the rising demand of urban populations. In

addition to upgrading appliances and smart devices, the Internet of Things has the potential to
evolve vital industries such as agriculture. Drones that employ backend algorithms are being
prototyped to identify and diagnose damaged crops. Technology with data capability is also
being applied to agricultural vehicles, manual equipment, and sensors. In a New York Times
interview, Lance Donny, founder of the successful agriculture startup On-Farm, has stated that
farmers are beginning to rely on data collected by crop sensors to efficiently allocate resources
and maximize yield (4).

This progress, however, does not come without significant risks. As more devices
connect to the internet, new fault lines are generated in cybersecurity. According to a report by
Business Insider, researchers from Microsoft and the University of Michigan discovered a swath
of security loopholes within Samsungs Smartthings platform. Standard hacking techniques such
as phishing, malware introduction, and exploiting email vulnerabilities were easily able to
infiltrate the Smartthings platform. The article highlights that vital appliances such as smoke
detectors and smart locks could easily be disabled (5).

This is a problem that is taken seriously. The United States has allocated over 100 billion
dollars to cyber security in the past decade. Cyber security defense funds for 2016 alone are 14
billion dollars (6). Securing these Internet connected devices is fairly complicated. According to
ICON Laboratories, there is no universal security solution to The Internet of Things. The
chipsets in IoT devices as well as the data they hold determine their level of security. Some
devices only contain 8 bit chips that collect sensor data while others are composed of multiple
64-bit processors that run complex software. The more complex IoT devices can use firewalls,
encryption, and other standard solutions. However, there will need to be significant innovation to
secure the increasingly common weaker chip sets. Networks passing information to these
devices must be impervious to intrusion. Device data needs to be encrypted and
depersonalized. Firmware needs to be shielded (7).

Ultimately, The Internet of Things represents a potential quantum leap in smart

technology, but improvements must be made to insure their security.
Sources:
1. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2015/03/23/98-americans-are-connected-high-
speed-wireless-internet

2. https://www.technologyreview.com/s/525951/facebooks-drones-will-battle-googles-balloons-
to-spread-internet-access

3. http://www.businessinsider.com/internet-of-things-infrastructure-architecture-management-
2016-10

4. https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/03/the-internet-of-things-and-the-future-of-farming/?
_r=0

5. http://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-smartthings-platform-iot-security-issues-internet-of-
things-2016-5

6. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/us-federal-cybersecurity-report-q3-2015-steve-morgan

7. http://www.iconlabs.com/prod/internet-secure-things--what-really-needed-secure-internet-
things