DNA ( 26 Sept ) carries a
report titled :
“ Cellphone security law in works “
The ministry of electronics and information technology plans to
formulate a legal framework to ensure compliance with security standards which
will be mandated for mobile phones.
"All these
measures are being undertaken to create a framework wherein all will be
mandated to follow certain procedures for security of users' data," the
official said.
Makers of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and set-top
boxes will also be asked to submit security procedures just like mobile
phone firms.
Also, WiFi routers and IP
cameras which are using default settings become vulnerable to cyber
threats, while in case of set-top boxes, the prevalence of
Chinese Conditional Access System is leading to potential vulnerability, the
official added.
Pavan Duggal, a
cyber expert and Supreme Court lawyer, said technology is changing rapidly.
"Technology has changed so much in
the last ten years. The IT Act needs to reflect existing realities of today's
world. Even cyber security needs to addressed well. We still do not have a
framework for it," he said.
==========================================
No doubt , legal experts working on framing of proposed law , have
heard of Internet enabled devices such as :
# Cortana (
Microsoft )
# Bixie ( Samsung
)
# Assistant ( Google
)
# Siri
( Apple )
# Alexa ( Amazon
)
There must be others
What I have heard is :
·
These devices will connect
you to internet and find some simple information
·
They take “ orders “ through spoken words and execute your “
commands “
It was also reported recently ( although
denied vehemently by the manufacturers ) that these devices “ listen in “ to
your normal conversations ( with your family / friends ? ) and upload the
dialogue to some secret server !
Then there are “ devices “ like Google Glass / FrontRow
( from Ubiquity ) and hundreds of similar “ devices “ , which take your photo /
video ( without your knowledge / permission ) and upload the same on Social
Media Sites !
The DNA report lists only : Mobile Phones / Set Top Boxes /
Wi Fi Routers / IP
Cameras
Obviously , they have not read
the following report :
According to Gartner, Inc. (a technology research and
advisory corporation), there will be nearly 20.8 billion devices on the Internet of things by 2020. ABI
Research estimates that more than 30 billion devices will be
wirelessly connected to the
Internet of things by 2020.
Navin Shenoy , corporate VP and general manager for the client computing group (CCG) at Intel , says :
“ The average household
has ten connected devices. This will explode to 50 by 2020 “
But , if they were to read , they will
discover that many of these “ devices “ will continuously monitor everything
you do ( - and , may be even “ think “ ! ) and relay that information / data to
cloud-based servers !
Already , there are available in the
market , Internet Connected “ home appliances “ such as refrigerators /
microwave ovens / dish washers / washing machines / weather stations / radios
etc
The government will need to ask, thousands of manufacturers
( spread all over
the World ) , “ to submit security procedures just like mobile phone firms “
Then decide which of them do not meet the CRITERIA laid down by the proposed
law !
Then
what ?
I hope the committee responsible for drafting the law comprise a
few geeks working for IoT devices firms !
Could it be that the proposed Law becomes
obsolete even before the President sign it ?
27
Sept 2017
www.hemenparekh.in
/ blogs
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