Navigating the Internet of Things – Convenience Versus Risk #IoT #cybersecurity

Last month, a botnet targeted more than 1,000 different models of Internet Protocol (IP) cameras with DDoS attacks, highlighting vulnerabilities in over 122,000 connected cameras across the world. Most Internet of Things (IoT) devices, like the affected IP cameras, come with a basic setup password, such as “admin” or “1234.” Users keep these passwords for the same reason “123456” is the most common online account password – convenience. However, as these latest botnet attacks demonstrate, IoT convenience comes at a price – it creates the potential for security risks. As additional connected devices are added to the IoT, balancing convenience and risk will become even more critical.


IoT attacks grew by 20 percent each quarter of last year, per McAfee. Upon activation, many devices require the user to input personally identifiable information (PII), which allows the device to learn about the user and become more in tune with their likes or dislikes. This makes using the devices more convenient, but all of that collected PII is a security risk. When that PII is shared across multiple devices, it introduces additional avenues for a hacker to obtain critical data.


While a hacker accessing a fitness tracker may not seem like a big deal, it could act as a gateway to more sensitive information. For example, as Gary Davis of Intel explains, many wearables or other IoT devices connect to our smartphones, which hold significantly more data than the device itself. We’ve seen examples of vulnerabilities in action, such as home automation devices where a hacker could access sensitive information via the related app or launch malicious code onto the smartphone that houses the app. Keeping phones secure will, in turn, help improve the security of other devices.


If you use a connected device, take the proper steps to ensure that device’s security is as strong as it can be. These steps may take a few extra minutes to complete, but they’re well worth any inconvenience that arises.


Update your devices regularly


This is one of the easiest things to do to help improve security. For starters, change the default password as soon as you begin using your device. Even if it’s not as basic as “1234” or “admin,” it’s still easier for hackers to access devices that are using the factory settings password. Devices and apps regularly receive updates and patches from developers. These updates are designed to fix potential bugs or vulnerabilities within a device or product. Keeping everything on your device up to date ensures you have the latest security at your fingertips. If your device uses a password, be sure to create strong passwords by using a long and unique combination of numbers, letters, and special characters for each device. Additionally, avoid accessing the device from a public, unsecured Wi-Fi connection.


Be aware of the privacy policy of your devices


It’s easy to skip over the privacy agreement when installing a new device, but you may be agreeing to hand over more information than you’d like to divulge. Take a few moments to research online and read through the privacy policy to learn what kind of PII the device collects and how it is used. If you don’t agree with the privacy policy, don’t use the device.


Part of this privacy responsibility falls on the shoulders of manufacturers. As consumers, we must make it known that security is a top priority for the IoT – industries won’t ignore the demands of their customers. For example, new car buyers reported in surveys that they were concerned about the security of connected cars. In response, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers developed a set of privacy principles they promise to follow.


Continue educating yourself


The privacy journey of the IoT should never end. By doing our due diligence, researching device manufacturers and software companies, and only sharing PII if necessary, we can help reduce the risk of data loss and identity theft. The IoT makes our lives more convenient, but that convenience should not come at the expense of security.

Huffingtonpost.com

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#Tesla 's stock is up 75% this year. That's not a typo

Can anything stop Tesla? Shares of Elon Musk's electric car company are up an astonishing 75% so far this year.

The stock hit a new all-time high Wednesday. Tesla (TSLA) is now worth $62 billion, more than GM (GM), Ford (F), Honda (HMC) and BMW (BMWYY).

In fact, there are only three automakers on the planet with a higher market value than Tesla -- Toyota (TM), Daimler (DDAIF) and Volkswagen (VLKAF).

The surge in Tesla's stock has made Musk, who is also the CEO of privately-held rocket company SpaceX, one of the world's richest people too. Musk is worth more than $17 billion, according to wealth tracking lists from Forbes and Bloomberg.

But there is a battle brewing between investors who think that Tesla stock can continue to charge (sorry) higher and those who are betting that Tesla, which is expected to continue bleeding red ink this year and in 2018, is an electric bubble about to burst.

Most analysts have a favorable view of Tesla. An analyst at German investment bank Berenberg upgraded the stock earlier this week to a buy rating, citing a "near monopolistic" chance to be the undisputed leader in electric vehicles.

The Berenberg analyst lifted his price target to $464 a share. That's nearly 25% above Tesla's current stock price and is the highest price target for Tesla on Wall Street.

Yet even that pales in comparison to how high one fund manager believes the stock can go. Money manager Ron Baron, a big Tesla bull who owns the stock, told CNBC on Tuesday that he thinks Tesla shares could hit $1,000 by 2020.

That would be a gain of nearly 170%. And at that quadruple-digit price, Tesla's market value would be about $165 billion.

Sure, there's a lot to like about Tesla.

Sales are growing rapidly as the company continues to impress consumers (and regulators) with its Model S sedan and Model X SUV. There are also high hopes for the upcoming Model 3, which will be Tesla's more affordable car.

Musk is moving beyond the auto market as well. Tesla's acquisition of SolarCity, a company founded by two of Musk's cousins, gives Tesla the opportunity to take advantage of growing demand for solar roofs and batteries for homes and businesses.

But the meteoric rise of Tesla has also attracted a lot of skeptics. Short sellers, who borrow a stock and immediately sell it with the hopes of buying it back later at a lower price and pocketing the difference, are ganging up on Tesla.

According to data from financial analytics firm S3 Partners, Tesla is the second-most heavily shorted stock on the market right now, trailing only Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and just ahead of Apple.

Those two stocks have surged this year as well. Apple (AAPL, Tech30) is up more than 25% and Alibaba (BABA, Tech30) has gained 55%..

Still, the fact that so many investors are betting against Tesla is also a reason why the stock could keep climbing.

Short sellers have to eventually repurchase, or cover, their positions. If a stock moves higher and higher, the shorts face mounting losses. For example, if you borrow a stock trading at $300, sell it and then the stock quickly goes to $400, you're out $100.

Musk even poked fun at the investors who think Tesla is destined to fall. After a big pop in the stock in early April, Musk tweeted that there was "stormy weather in Shortville."

Elon Musk 

✔@elonmusk

Stormy weather in Shortville ...

7:30 PM - 3 Apr 2017

 
•  3,3603,360 Retweets
 
•  12,08012,080 likes

Twitter Ads info and privacy

Ouch.

Musk may be having the last laugh for now. But there will be a lot of pressure on the company when it reports its second quarter results in early August to show investors that the stock's Ludicrous Mode runup is justified.

Cnn.com

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The #GDPR Transformation is Already Here

 The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) effective date is just about a year out, but already we can see the work companies are doing to achieve compliance having a significant impact on the privacy landscape here in the United States.





I had a great opportunity to gauge exactly how this is happening while attending the annual Global Privacy Summit hosted by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) in Washington, D.C.


It took some time to work past the overall lament that talk of the GDPR was dominating the conference. Once I did, though, it became clear that people from across a truly wide range of organizations were using the prod of coming GDPR compliance to systematically and rigorously integrate improved data protection into the very core of their operations. Whether they were just starting on data mapping or policy creation; had ventured into the woods of data classification schemes and Privacy Impact Assessments; or were implementing a Privacy by Design model, the people I spoke to reported a higher level of engagement with privacy, and a deeper understanding of the way data flows throughout their organization, than ever before.


With a year to go before the GDPR gets real, many people are still getting started. But many I spoke with reported high levels of involvement in privacy-impacted work across multiple levels of the organization. This included executives down through middle management and into the corners of product development, marketing, and more.


Today, this organizational involvement with privacy may be centered on those involved in implementing and enforcing privacy policies, but this isolation will not last. Organizational methodologies like Privacy by Design will make their influence felt in many ways. As the privacy pros within an organization begin to provide training and communications to employee populations, we will see more and more employees practicing good data protection behaviors. In short, I believe that we will see more companies develop a true culture around data protection.


But the cultural changes wrought by the GDPR will not stop at the doors of those companies who need to comply because they handle the data of EU citizens. As the larger, global companies start employing higher standards for data protection, this will create a ripple effect as they compel their vendor communities and suppliers to follow suit. Moreover, their influence will cause competitors to reshape their own approach to privacy to better reflect what should soon become the standard by which all responsible companies are judged.


Given the paralysis in our national legislative bodies, I can’t imagine that the United States will embrace any national policy or regulation around data protection (nor am I even sure they should). But it won’t matter, because we’ve already begun the slow but inexorable incorporation of better data protection practices into the American landscape. For those interested in protecting personal information, this is positive news indeed.

By Tom Pendergast

Securitymagazine.com

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#Google encourages developers to adjust their apps for tall phones

 There’s an emerging trend in the world of premium Android phones for devices with taller-than-usual screens. Both Samsung’s Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus and LG’s G6 have gotten on board with this, offering displays with aspect ratios of 18.5:9 and 18:9, respectively. But taller (or wider) screens can be a problem when using apps built for the more common 16:9 ratio, leading to unsightly bars at the top and the bottom of the display.

To combat this, Google is encouraging Android developers to adapt their apps to the new ratio. In a post on the company’s blog, developer advocate Neto Marin talks programmer through the tweaks needed to “take full advantage of the larger display formats.” It seems pretty simple to make the change, and the results are obviously worth it:

Before and after an app has been updated to work with taller aspect ratios.

 Image: Google

The question is, will these new, taller screens (and their taller apps) be sticking around?

They’re a good way of creating more screen real estate without making phones unmanageably wide, but they could also make devices more prone to breakage. And while taller screens are wider screens which makes them good for watching movies, how many people regularly watch movies on their phones? Basically, we’ll have to wait and see how things shake out with these new, taller screens, but at least Google is encouraging developers to make the best of the situation.

Theverge.com

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#Google 's Invisible #CAPTCHA Doesn't Need To Ask if You're a Bot

 Search giant Google is aiming to make the process of proving that you're a human a little less annoying with a new version of its reCAPTCHA technology. The announcement is part of the flood of news coming out of this week's Google Next '17 conference in San Francisco.

The new technology will be completely invisible to the end user, allowing Web sites to verify that someone is not a robot without forcing them to try to decipher distorted images of text, according to Google.

Marketing the new version of the reCAPTCHA service as "tough on bots, easy on humans," the company isn't offering up any details on how exactly the security system works. All that Google will say is that the update relies on machine learning and advanced risk analysis to make informed decisions about who's human and who's a bot.

Pre-Screened Humans

The reCAPTCHA system is a security safeguard used by Web sites to weed out malicious bots from human users. The platform was acquired by Google in 2009, and is now the most widely used provider of CAPTCHA verification technology in the world, according to Google.

CAPTCHA involves asking users to perform a series of visual-perception tasks, such as reading distorted text, to prove they're real. But the procedure can prove frustrating for users, such as when they appear in the middle of financial transactions, or if users are visually impaired.

Google said the latest version of the technology is an improvement over previous versions of the verification system, in which users had to verify they were not bots by clicking on checkboxes. Now, however, reCAPTCHA will only subject users exhibiting suspicious activity to additional security challenges.

No More Blurry Images

"Since the launch of No CAPTCHA reCAPTCHA, millions of Internet users have been able to attest they are human with just a single click," the company wrote on the reCAPTCHA Web site. "Now we're taking it a step further and making it invisible. Human users will be let through without seeing the 'I'm not a robot' checkbox, while suspicious ones and bots still have to solve the challenges."

According to Google, the system uses a broad range of cues to distinguish humans from bots, although the company didn't say what sort of behavior it considered suspicious. Potentially, anyone using a Tor browser or VPN to access Web sites could be interpreted as suspicious.

But Google said thanks to Invisible reCAPTCHA, a "significant portion" of valid human users will now be verified without ever having to perform any of the usual verification tasks. If it works as advertised, the new widget should prove a huge relief to users tired of having to identify storefronts in blurry images.

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#Tesla Model 3 Progress

In what was likely the most anticipated earnings call ever for Tesla, the auto manufacturer / stationary storage manufacturer / full service solar provider / soon-to-be taxi service / autonomous vehicle technology company (and maybe insurance company in the near future) shared financial results for Q4 2016 and for the full year. Perhaps more importantly, it also unpacked tons of detail for what’s to come in the balance of 2017 and beyond.

Deliveries had already been announced, so no additional news was shared in the financial results call. Tesla did want to highlight that even though deliveries were slightly lower than guidance, record-high deliveries were achieved in Q4 2016.

Model 3 Production Ramp

The most anticipated news from the call revolves around Model 3, which continues to be the central focus for the Tesla team. The Gigafactory and Fremont factory continue to ramp up in parallel in preparation for the first production run in July, Tesla reiterated.

Tesla is on track for that first production run in July, and expecting to ramp up to 5,000 cars per week sometime in the fourth quarter of 2017. This rate will increase further to 10,000 cars per week sometime in 2018. This is critical, as it will be when Tesla starts working through its huge backlog of Model 3 orders (which “is still in great shape” — though, Tesla declined to comment on details since it felt stating a number was counterproductive).

This makes sense, as many folks I’ve talked to … and interacted with online … are leery about locking in a reservation for Model 3 with the timing so uncertain. That message has a tag-along effect since many people also think there’s a long wait time for Model S and X, which is interesting. I love clearing up those messages, but it sheds some light on how the masses interpret Tesla news.

In a unique insight into Tesla communications with partners, Elon shared the volume guidance it is providing to parts suppliers in terms of vehicle production per week at: 1,000/week in July, 2,000/week in August, and 4,000 per week in September. As with production estimates coming off the Tesla Factory lines, these numbers are subject to change as the real capabilities of the equipment are determined in the physical world.

Model 3 Margins

Model 3 will not be profitable on day 1. No, this is not terrible news — it is just a function of cost. Machines cost money to run, and they take people, time, and money to build and test. When Tesla starts making Model 3, few vehicles will be produced per day, per hour, etc. … but as volume ramps up, Model 3 will clearly be profitable.

As someone who spent many years as an “industrial engineer” for a large manufacturing company, it is exciting to me that Tesla is looking at the cost of production on a daily basis … even during ramp up. The “recipe” for Model 3 will continue to improve as the production lines hit the nearly vertical sections of the S-curve, eventually stabilizing sometime in 2018.

Drilling into the costs of Model 3, Tesla has taken a granular bottom-up approach — breaking each part down to commodity pricing, then building in time and cost for manufacturing, estimating reasonable margins, then pushing suppliers to deliver at or around the resulting figure for each.

This shows just how intensely Tesla is pursuing an affordable, profitable vehicle with Model 3, which speaks well to the success and viability of the car, and presumably the future of the company, which is so intimately linked with its success.

All the Gigafactories

Many people, countries, cities and virtual cities have been attempting to lure Tesla into their area for the installation of the next Gigafactory, and Tesla shared that we won’t have to wait much longer to find out where the next Gigafactories will be. Specifically, Tesla shared that “we expect to finalize locations for Gigafactories 3, 4 and possibly 5 THIS YEAR.” (emphasis mine)

3, 4 and 5 … but what about Gigafactory 2!?! The newsletter casually noted that Gigafactory 2 is, in fact, the Tesla solar plant in New York … formerly known as the SolarCity solar plant. We had been calling it the “Gigafactory” of solar all along, and it seems that Tesla took that to heart and decided to grant it full Gigafactory status as part of the SolarCity acquisition.

Considering that the original cost estimate for Gigafactory 1 was $5 billion, these pending announcements show that Tesla has no plans to slow down just because Model 3 is nearly out. In fact, it is ramping up production quite significantly over the coming years.

Service Center Improvements

In the newsletter, Tesla admitted previous issues with service center response time and noted that it has been working on it aggressively: “we are on track to reduce the global average wait time for vehicle service to less than one day by the end of the first quarter of 2017. “

Beyond just fixing the current state, Tesla is ramping up its team of remote mechanics (aka Rangers) who can perform the ~80% of service center tasks that are so minor that they can be done at the home or business of customers, cutting costs and improving response time at the same time. (I’ve had such a visit.)

Supercharger Expansion

The Supercharger network will be growing further in 2017, with the number of locations in North America doubling in 2017. The Supercharger network has proven to be a strategic advantage and Tesla continues to keep it in focus moving forward. (Also see our exclusive: “Importance of Tesla Superchargers, Battery Upgrades, Electric Car Benefits…“)

This is made clear with the addition of idle fees at Superchargers to improve availability, the addition of real-time visibility of utilization, and the cap on free Supercharger usage per year to ensure stations are available for those who actually need to charge as opposed to those who are just topping off while buying groceries.

In parallel, Tesla continues to support the rollout of destination chargers, which Tesla provides for free to site hosts … who can then lure in customers while providing free charging.

Capital & Cash

Tesla increased cash by over $300 million from Q3 to Q4 2016, to a total of $3.4 billion. Capital is trending in the right direction, but Tesla commented that it was considering a capital raise to increase the pad to reduce investor risk.

Elon noted that it would be easy for the company to be cashflow positive and generate good returns by slowing growth but that the internal team saw no reason to slow down. Following the unconventional nature of the company, Elon asked the attendees on the call for feedback if they thought Tesla should do something different.

This open mindedness to alternative solutions (no, not “alternative facts”) is so critical since it allows many, many more people to contribute to the development of a constructive solution when faced with a problem instead of sticking to “the way we’ve always done it” as a hard and fast rule as so many legacy companies tend to do.

Tesla Insurance?

Elon talked about how, with Autopilot-enabled Teslas being so much safer and a public target of 90% safer than non-Autopilot-enabled vehicles, insurance companies would be likely to offer insurance at significantly reduced rates. If this didn’t transpire, Tesla would consider selling insurance at reasonable rates — and is already doing so in some markets in Asia.

The investor letter accompanying the webcast also highlighted that the safety of Autopilot was confirmed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report which found that, “data show that the Tesla vehicle crash rates dropped by almost 40% after Autosteer installation.”

ZEV Credits

Elon stated that if ZEV credits were to go away, the outlook for Tesla would improve. Other auto manufacturers get more value from the credits — he noted that GM received almost $10,000 more value per ZEV credit than Tesla does. While Tesla does generate income from ZEV credits, the revenue generated in Q4 2016 was significantly lower (at $19,840,000) than Q3 2016 (at $138,541,000).

Cleantechnica.com

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#Mercedes: Electric Smart cars will replace gas-powered cars in US

Buyers in Europe – where the tiny Smart car is more popular – will still be able to buy the gas-powered model.






That year’s model of the two-seat microcar will be available only in an electric version, the automaker said on Monday. It will discontinue the gas-powered version in the United States after the 2017 model, although a gas-guzzling model will still be available in Europe, according to Digital Trends.

Never a terrific seller since it first crossed the Atlantic in 2008, the Smart car has seen its American sales slump to just a few thousand vehicles this past year.


The shake-up from Daimler, Mercedes Benz’s parent company, reflects the shifting US auto market. The discontinuation of the gas version comes as low prices at the pump have boosted pickup, SUV, and crossover sales.

But Mercedes Benz’s interest in the electric version comes as automakers are gearing up for a surge in electric vehicles.

Mercedes Benz said Monday it will have a “dedicated focus” on the electric Smart, which will “play an important role” in the forefront of its planned fleet of electric cars, according to USA Today.

Smart’s shift to electric will start this summer.

“The Smart lineup will consist exclusively of the zero emissions smart electric drive coupe and cabrio (convertible) in the US and Canada," Mercedes Benz said in a statement.

The 8-foot, 8-inch long car will provide 80 horsepower and 118 pound-feet of torque, with a battery that offers between 70 and 80 miles on a single charge. When it goes on sale, the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive should price in near the previous generation’s MSRP of $25,000, according to CNET’s Roadshow.

While the electric microcar could occupy a niche in the US auto market, its gas-powered sibling wasn’t able to hold onto that position. Ahead of its US debut in 2008, the Smart car received 30,000 reservations, including both gas and electric models. Its sales held steady from 2012 to 2014 at around 10,000 units per year. But that number dropped to an all-time low of 6,211 units this past year.

Mercedes Benz told Automotive News that the electric version comprised 30 percent of those sales “at their high point.”

The company sent Smart dealers a memo about the discontinuation of the gas version: "Developments within the micro-car segment present some challenges for the current Smart product portfolio," it read. "As a result, Smart will discontinue sales of the gasoline powered Smart Fortwo and Fortwo Cabrio for the US and Canadian markets after model year 2017."

And the world electric car market is poised to take off, say experts.

According to a study by Imperial College London and Carbon Tracker, falling battery prices mean that electric cars could make up 35 percent of the vehicle market in 2035, according to The Guardian. That would be a massive surge from the 1.4 percent it occupies now, according to Statista. By 2050, plug-in cars could account for two-thirds of the auto market.


Csmonitor.com
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