I chose to look at look into Bruce Schneier’s radio talk with CBC called Internet plus: Now everything can be hacked! This talk is about Schneier’s new book Click Here to Kill Everybody. I agree with the article which states that the name of the book is quite terrifying. Just look at the cover.
Bruce being a security guru, subtitles his new book “Security and Survival in a Hyper-Connected World.” Throughout the talk, he discusses the real risks in the world, since everything is becoming a computer and networked in such ways he calls “internet plus.” Our world is becoming very IT-dependent, even if we don’t think we are using technology.
Schneier brings up examples that our world never had to think about until now. For example; ransomeware attacks on thermostats. People across the world or country can hack into our thermostat and turn it off until you pay a lump some of money. Everything in our world can harm us! In the past, people were able to threaten you by stealing private information from a hospital, for example, and simply embarrass you. But now a days, people are able to change your blood type in the database, which could potentially kill you.
We have lived through some of these threats! They might not be in our backyard but we have definitely heard about them. For example; Russia has taken out power plants in the Ukraine twice.
Schneier brings up another good point about us not paying for security in our everyday tools. When we are looking for a refrigerator, we aren’t looking for the one with the best security measures. We are looking for the best features at the best price. When we shop for anything, security does not seem to be one of the features we look for. But maybe it should become one.
An idea brought forward through this discussion is not limited to the safety of everyone in our world. Since everything around us is becoming more and more technological, I feel that we are relying to much on technology. I think to myself, “What is this world coming to?” Schneier brought up a good example that makes me reflect on this questions. He reminds us of how Russia took out power plants all the way in the Ukraine without even leaving their country. People around the world are willing to go to further lengths to harm people. because they do not have to leave the comfort of their own home. Again, this is just my point of view.
Before reading this discussion, I knew of the crimes that happen around the world through technology but not necessarily the extent of them. Watching many crime shows, they give us visuals of what is going around in the “real” world. But I have never seen a show where people are attacking thermostats to get an easy pay day. In the future, when I am buying anything technological, I will definitely research to have the proper safety tools.
To connect all the ideas given throughout this talk, I chose to make a mind map. I believe that it is a good way to portray all of Bruce Schneire’s ideas and concepts. He is definitely someone with a lot of insight into the world of security, especially with technology. I hope we can learn from our mistakes and from all the examples shown throughout the world. Safety and security is not something we can just pass by. We need to always make sure our information and our loved ones are always safe. But how far are we going to half to go to accomplish that?
