Some Things Should Be Banned from the Internet of Things

The console of the LG's Smart Refrigerator has menus for "food management."

The console of the LG's Smart Refrigerator has menus for "food management." Flickr user davidberkowitz

Connecting refrigerators to the Web -- what could go wrong?

The unknown danger in connecting an increasing number of analog objects, such as light bulbs, to the Web is worrying policy advisers.

The "Internet of Things” just might have too many things, says Richard Danzig, a member of the Defense Policy Board and the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board. 

"Information companies are maintaining connectivity and have built-in mechanisms for patching, however inadequate -- now what we have, in the Internet of Things, are lots of companies making refrigerators" or other objects "that are not information companies,” he said. “And the effect is that we are much more vulnerable."

Danzig, a former Navy secretary, was speaking with other cyber experts about his new Center for a New American Security report on containing national security threats in an increasingly wired world. 

For key systems, the paper recommends sacrificing some Internet benefits to ensure security. "Methods for pursuing this strategy include stripping down systems so they do less but have fewer vulnerabilities, integrating humans and other out-of-band (i.e., non-cyber) factors so the nation is not solely dependent on digital systems," as well as "making investments for graceful degradation,” Danzig writes.

Others in attendance agreed some industries perhaps should go on an IT diet. 

Some sectors "should not be connecting up and putting all things on the Internet -- period," said Melissa Hathaway, former acting senior director for cyberspace at the National Security Council and leader of the first Obama administration's landmark 60-day security review. 

That argument resonated with some Pentagon officials who are working on next-generation cyber protections.

Mike Walker, a program manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, does not set government policies but backs the idea of giving up some of the advantages of connectivity and automation in cases where the dangers are not yet understood.

Before joining DARPA, Walker consulted with companies on security holes in their systems and recalls "having this feeling of unease when I would go on one of these assessments to the energy sector or financial sector,” he told Nextgov, after the event.  

But in a society where people control their lives with the swipe of a finger, Gary McGraw, chief technology officer for software security firm Cigital, questioned the practicality of cutting back on connectivity.

"So close Pandora's Box? Put the cat back in the bag?" he said.

While uber-interconnectedness could become a consumer problem, it also might not necessarily imperil national security, Danzig said. 

"When somebody's medical record can be distorted or insulin pump can be tampered with -- that is a societal problem," he said. "But from a national security perspective, does it amount to something that could subvert the will of this country to achieve its ends? My guess is no. So as a national security type, I'm a little less worried about it in civilian applications."

Earlier this month, researchers at Context Information Security detailed how anyone near a popular Wi-Fi-connected light bulb could then crack that network's password.

The experiment used LIFX LED light bulbs controlled remotely using smartphones, offering energy savings and ambiance to homeowners and retailers.

But security vulnerabilities provided "knowledge of the encryption algorithm, key, initialization vector and an understanding of the mesh network" that the researchers used to "capture the Wi-Fi details and decrypt the credentials,” a company blog post states. 

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.