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Internet of Everything: Tomorrow’s SCADA Screw-up

July 8, 2014

I just read an Ars Technica blog post describing how an attack against LIFX smart lightbulbs can expose WiFi passwords. Apparently, some white-hat hackers have crafted a way to gain access to WiFi passwords to anyone in proximity to one of the LED devices. These “smart” devices are controlled by using your iOS or Android device. This is yet again another device connected to a network, just like other “smarthome” devices such as lights, thermostats, security systems, entertainment systems, HVAC and the list goes on and on.

I’m thinking that as more manufacturers develop products that are network connected, security is way at the bottom of the “feature” list. I worry that it is too reminiscent of the period when engineers thought it was a good idea to hook up SCADA systems to the Internet. Now we’re scrambling to beef up security of SCADA so that some remote user can’t melt down a nuclear reactor or overspeed a generator out of control. Wait…we already did that to centrifuges in Iran using Stuxnet. Let’s hope we get a lot smarter and think twice about what we connect to a network.

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