Many years ago I ran a project looking into the Year 2000 “potential issue”. I was working on a site that used heavy industry to create Zinc and Lead ingots, as well as other by products. We ran human made volcano, as well as various chemical plants. The theory was that when the year ticked over to 2000, many computer systems would either crash, corrupt, or start issuing erroneous information. Bugs rather than hackers\/criminals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The millenium bug, in theory, could have lost process control, and caused shutdowns and lost a lot of money – even the point of closing the business. There may even have been a potential loss of life or an injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every device\/software\/control system was set out in an inventory, a level of risk was attached to it, and then almost all but the most mundane item was tested. Come the Year 2000, nothing happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FREEZERS AND LOST FOOD…the same is true with Cyber Security. Every device or item of sofware must be listed in an inventory, the default passwords must be changed – following a good password policy. The firmware must be kept uptodate, as must the software. But more can be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ovens, freezers, cookers, heaters, fans, cooling system, cctv…all these things are now on the network and therefore open to the internet in some way. Perhaps we should consider if they need to be? If they must, perhaps get the networking engineer to place them within a secure network, NOT just on the standard office network everyone uses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I love computers and how they interact at home….but I don’t think I will be connecting my fridge or microwave to the internet any time soon. The push button interface is enough.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Many years ago I ran a project looking into the Year 2000 “potential issue”. I was working on a site that used heavy industry to create Zinc and Lead ingots, as well as other by products. We ran human made … Continue reading