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In the fall of 2016, hackers took over hundreds of thousands of poorly secured webcams, DVRs, and other internet connected devices and used them to disrupt internet access across the U.S.
Major online infrastructure began to falter. Websites like Twitter, Netflix, PayPal, Spotify, The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal all began to have issues. With more wi-fi enabled devices coming online everyday, the same risks remain.
We are endlessly fascinated with our technology, especially as it makes our tasks more convenient and our lives easier. The more interconnected an object is, the more benefits and conveniences it can provide.
Cars can offer rearview cameras, internal GPS systems, and other perks designed to keep us safe. They will eventually drive us to our destination on their own.
Connected medical devices can also do more to automate care and treat patients. There are smart fridges, children’s toys, baby monitors and even weaponry – all wi-fi connected. An installed internet connection enhances all these objects, and provides added benefits, that exceed the offline world.
But it’s important to understand the risk.
Interconnection Can Leave You Vulnerable
We trust our lives to the wi-fi enabled cars, medical devices and weaponry. As we edge closer to fully autonomous vehicles, what happens if a hacker can take over your driving route the way he or she might take over your computer?
As it stands now, several car apps have already proven hackable, leaving your car vulnerable to theft. Researchers already exploited some Internet of Things vulnerabilities, even finding a way to disable the brakes on a Corvette.
Researchers have also demonstrated the ability to gain access to medical devices. Pacemakers and drug infusion pumps have shown vulnerabilities to outside control. The Food and Drug Administration is looking for remedies.
Who’s Liable?
I don’t mean who is coding the malware, or who is taking over the machines. I am talking about the deeper level of consumer liability at play. Congress has had a difficult enough time regulating the internet confined to computers. What kind of legal framework will be available to protect consumers who could become victim to the vulnerabilities in their technology? When the drivers are human, we have no issue assigning liability.
A driverless car will be programmed to perform a certain way around certain hazards. There will also be high expectations that the software is well protected from outside influence. Will an industry pop up around providing cyber-security for our cars, medical equipment or refrigerators?
As more devices creep into our daily lives, I’m wondering what the answer is to that question. Technology develops faster than the laws that regulate it.
In an industry known for innovation and a competitive edge, what is being done to ensure consumer safety? Can we design systems that are both convenient and safe?
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