IoT Conference – Exclusive Interview with IAI Cyber Division Senior Scientist
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עברית (Hebrew)
Constantly updating systems capable of confronting the changing threats should be developed, this is one of the recommendations regarding IoT cyber threats, according to Dr. Nathan Weiss, Senior Scientist of the Cyber Division in the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
Dr. Weiss will lecutre at the forthcoming IoT 2017 Conference and Exhibition organized by iHLS. The conference focuses on the aspects of security, smart city and more.
A physicist by profession, Dr. Weiss has many years of experience in the academic world as well as within the IAI. He is acquainted with the Homeland Security field from the aspects of transportation, airports, etc., and in recent years he has been focusing on R&D at the IAI Cyber Division, including projects of civil aviation and transportation, taking part in a human engineering research with the European Union, etc.
In an interview to iHLS website, Dr. Weiss says that while IoT began with home appliances, today this field covers all the computerization of industrial systems, electricity, and water, transportation and traffic light systems, bus ticketing, health and financial sectors, etc. – whatever is networked and connected. He emphasizes that IoT doesn’t only deal with data and information but also with the operation of systems and processes.
The type of threats has changed too. While in the past, the focus was on stealing or disrupting information, currently we confront physical threats through IoT systems, e.g. the interception of an aircraft by means of cyber attack, as all the airplane computer systems are connected. An attack on trains is also a possibility, as train switching systems have become more and more computerized and connected, including the monitors that direct the train. A cyber attack might endanger these systems.
The military IoT has also become more connected, thus subject to threats, although it is isolated from the regular internet. According to Dr. Weiss, the Cyber Division helps the IDF secure its systems and communications.
Connected autonomous vehicles might also be a target to cyber-physical attacks. Reportedly, Mobileye’s system abroad is already connected to the internet, a fact that consists a risk.
On the personal level, IoT systems expose unprecedented personal information about people and might use it for social engineering in the information security field – phishing attacks for example.
Dr. Weiss evaluates that the cyber security solution should be a multi-layered one. “First, all the IoT systems must be secured – components, communication with the cloud, etc. – this process is already taking place but too slowly. Then, the systems at the various layers must be monitored, this field is our expertise, it is a complex mission that has to take into account new threats all the time”.
What is his message for the future in this fascinating field? Dr. Weiss says that due to the fact that the developments have become more and more connected and the number of players involved has been increasing, we should build systems that can develop together with the changing threats. At the same time, it is imperative to educate the users to be more aware of threats and operate the systems in a secure way.
The latest technological innovations in the IoT field in defense, security and law enforcement, smart city/safe city, etc. will be the focus of the forthcoming IoT 2017 Conference and Exhibition organized by iHLS.
The event that will be held on December 25th, 2017 at the Lago Conference Center in Rishon LeZion will serve as a meeting point to all the leading members of the IoT ecosystem in Israel and abroad: experts, industries, startups and entrepreneurs, integrators, and officials from the defense and security, law enforcement and first responders sectors, and many more.
Booth/sponsorship/lecture: Matan Shaked +972-54-809-7456 [email protected] [email protected]
