Bob Fox, IBM’s Global Industry Leader for Telecommunications, Media and Entertainment is preparing for an IoT.3 ecosystem in which cloud-based big data services and industry analytics will play a key role in providing “systems of insight” through a network of sensors. This is a mighty leap from the current IoT scenario of dashboards, device management and sensor connectivity and monitoring, which seems primitive in comparison.
 
While efficiency, quality of service, sustainability and cost reduction are some of the ‘fun’ benefits that can be expected with M2M, on the flip side, there are serious risks of end-to-end security that governments will need to grapple with. The road to M2M nirvana is littered with security obstacles and the risk increases exponentially as sensors and connectivity extend to ‘things’ like jet engines. Among the various dystopic scenarios to be aware of in the IoT.3 era:
 
• Vehicle hacking: wireless hacks can alter a car’s electronic control units (ECUs) and sensors to affect brake systems, send false tire pressure signals or start and stop the engine remotely

• Industrial hacking: foreign hacking groups have already been caught infiltrating water control systems for a US municipality

• GPS Spoofing: Counterfiet GPS signals can facilitate hijacking or cause collision and damage to ships, aircrafts and drones

• Smart Home Hacking: smart door locks can be opened and lock codes changed to break into a home without any sign of forced entry

• Healthcare Device Hacking: implantable medical devices (IMDs) that control heartbeats, deliver painkillers or insulin, or measure vital signs to report to doctors and nurses can be jammed and made to fail

• Connected-Car Mandate: The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) wants the government to require that all new vehicles be able to wirelessly communicate with other cars.

Both the US Federal Communications Commission and the European Commission, which are at the sidelines of early IoT implementation, have struck a note of caution over consumer privacy and security, says Fox.