IoT security is like running before you can walk

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Category: Cyber Security (Personal)

Take a baby or toddler which of course is where the phrase comes from, it first crawls, walks, climbs, runs and finally cycles. Security should be the same, first you should secure your home, office, data centre and then move onto the network, endpoints, websites, email servers etc.

Many companies have not done much of the above. Take various City of London offices, LCD screens with users on are sitting next to windows. Good front office access control maybe but you can look over someone’s shoulder from outside.

Then you need to secure the network with the use of hardware firewalls and IPS (intrusion detection prevention). Mail servers and webservers are next since they face the world wide web and further down the line is endpoints.

Makes sense? Likely to some. The problem is companies are struggling to secure their normal network because they do not understand the risks or care. Plus, there is a shortage of products which actually work and a global shortage of skilled staff.

Move onto IoT (internet of things), if anyone including home users is struggling to secure their conventional kit why move onto IoT which can add a physical element into the equation? Webcams, CCTV, heating/electricity control companies do not put much effort into security.

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First time home buyers: what a helpful government we have!

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Category: Private Thoughts

This is the second “personal” non-IT or IT security article of the year and the 80th article I have written and published in some form. Typically, I only write about issues I see in the country or affect me in some way presently or in the future.

What you need to buy a property money wise and the process: right property check, deposit check, mortgage agreed check, surveyor fees check, legal fees check, hire a van fees check and stamp duty not check.

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Brexit and recession: if you think negatively that is how the economy will go

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Category: Private Thoughts

Rarely do I write a non IT article but little has changed in how people think in years. This article is not here to sway down remain or leave it is to talk about how people think and how more importantly what we read influences us.

In November 2010 I was at a sizeable business event in a London hotel with the guest speaker being (Sir) Vince Cable, ex business secretary in the coalition government. Before the event I put my name down to ask a question. My question was roughly around during or in the run up to a recession if the media reports negatively and everyone reads it, it will make a recession worse.

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