IoT & Embedded Technology Blog

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Embedded Security: The Bark is Bigger than the Bite, Part 2

by Andre Girard | 12/31/2012

In part one of this blog, we discussed findings showing the limited security actions taken to date in the Industrial Automation and Energy/Power industries. Unfortunately, the gap between stated interest in security and the actions taken to address these concerns is not limited to this vertical. For example, 29% of engineers in military/aerospace and almost 38% of automotive engineers reported their current project involves no security actions.

Google has received a great deal of press about their progress in this area, developing their self-driving car. Aaron Robinson, a columnist with Car and Driver magazine wrote about security issues, as they relate to this notion of anautonomous car.

“But one thing is certain: Throughout human history, safety has typically lagged invention. The wheel came before the brake, the car came before the seatbelt. Likewise, the internet’s innovation continues to outpace its protections” – Aaron Robinson

Now I love many of the advances information technologies have enabled in even just the last few years. But turning over my keys to the IT department of Google or some other tech company, especially since I’ve seen lack of security measures? Suddenly “kernel panic” or the “blue screen of death” take on much more literal meanings.  

Eliminating the security interest-action gap will be one of the primary challenges facing OEMs across several verticals. Embedded solution providers should align their marketing and services initiatives. There is a large opportunity awaiting the vendor(s) able to encourage and then help navigate when OEMs take these important steps to address security.

UPCOMING RELATED RESEARCH:

Also in the next couple of weeks, the Embedded Software team here at VDC Research finishes publication of a series of vertical market reports. These studies examine embedded developers’ demand and requirements for commercial OSs and software development tools within key vertical markets.

Volume 1, covering embedded software technologies in the Automotive vertical is available now. Volume 2, available later this week, looks into the Industrial Automation and Control (IAC) and Energy / Power industries. Volumes covering medical devices, military/aerospace, and mobile phones will follow shortly.