By Sunil Lalvani
One key aspect that will be a defining feature of India’s future is its focus on integrating technology for various aspects of governance.
Mobile phones and technology will play a critical role in the digitisation process. M2M (machineto-machine) technologies will be vital to realise this vision of digital and smart cities, as well as enhancing the delivery of healthcare and education services of our citizens. The role of newer technologies, especially in telecom and smartphones, will be critical.
The scope for mobile governance in India, with its 931.95 million mobile subscribers, is vast.
Initiatives in healthcare, education, automotive industry and entertainment have seen huge impacts with connected services coming to life. But it now needs a big push with smartphones playing an integral part, as data transfers in real time are essential.
Data is the critical and fundamental bedrock of the IoT ecosystem – IoT being the ‘Internet of Things’, or the world of internet-enabled wireless connected devices – and is a highly-valuable commodity today.
We have already been witnessing a humongous growth in data generation due to social media platforms. As it gains traction, IoT will also lead to an immense data explosion. With the consequent digitisation and popularity of smartphones, information access is but the swipe of a finger away.
So what can be done with this immense amount of data these connected devices, systems and sensors collect? And how do we ensure appropriate usage and safeguards to protect it? While the available information from IoT opens up limitless possibilities and new capabilities – not to mention unprecedented economic opportunities – its misuse can unleash a potential maelstrom of challenges.
A minor breach in data security can lead to an immense loss in terms of wealth, privacy and reputation.
Just as the internet is an ocean of information, it is also a thriving ground for online scams, phishing, Trojan Horses, malware, hacking attempts and stolen identities. This is a vulnerability that confronts us every day. IoT devices could be alarmingly vulnerable to hackers and trigger major security risks.
While we hear much about IoT and a bit about IoT security, the security aspect of the IoT ecosystem must be given some serious thought. Creating a secure public applications platform which will facilitate the IoT ecosystem that consists of partners, carriers and application developers is a must.
Security and control of identified devices are key aspects in a universe teeming with privacy concerns, insufficient authorisation, lack of transport encryption, insecure web interface and inadequate software protection.
With smartphones posing as a key component of IoT, there is a need to look at the complete lifecycle of the mobile security architecture – from design and implementing products and technologies to managing the architecture over time. A key element of security is encryption technology, which is critical to protecting the confidentiality and integrity of a digital transaction between two end points, such as a mobile device and a car or central house automation system.
For instance, the end-to-end security solution of a security platform such as BlackBerry relies on multiple sources of entropy to create a dynamic and effective security environment that ensures encrypted data remains unreadable until it is decrypted at the end of its transmission.
Randomly-generated security keys are matched to every transmitted packet of data. That means that at the end of its journey, a 1 megabyte file will be composed of 500 individual packets (or transactions), each encrypted with a unique key.
The importance of security for IoT infrastructure and platforms cannot be overemphasised. Rather than specific products or services, the next important developments in IoT should be overarching standards, policies, security frameworks and infrastructures.
A stable secure technology platform with proven security standards will be imperative for IoT proliferation. This isn’t only about the protection of individuals and their privacy but about safeguarding India’s digital ecosystem and the economy therein.
The writer is Managing Director, BlackBerry India
One key aspect that will be a defining feature of India’s future is its focus on integrating technology for various aspects of governance.
Mobile phones and technology will play a critical role in the digitisation process. M2M (machineto-machine) technologies will be vital to realise this vision of digital and smart cities, as well as enhancing the delivery of healthcare and education services of our citizens. The role of newer technologies, especially in telecom and smartphones, will be critical.
The scope for mobile governance in India, with its 931.95 million mobile subscribers, is vast.
Initiatives in healthcare, education, automotive industry and entertainment have seen huge impacts with connected services coming to life. But it now needs a big push with smartphones playing an integral part, as data transfers in real time are essential.
Data is the critical and fundamental bedrock of the IoT ecosystem – IoT being the ‘Internet of Things’, or the world of internet-enabled wireless connected devices – and is a highly-valuable commodity today.
We have already been witnessing a humongous growth in data generation due to social media platforms. As it gains traction, IoT will also lead to an immense data explosion. With the consequent digitisation and popularity of smartphones, information access is but the swipe of a finger away.
So what can be done with this immense amount of data these connected devices, systems and sensors collect? And how do we ensure appropriate usage and safeguards to protect it? While the available information from IoT opens up limitless possibilities and new capabilities – not to mention unprecedented economic opportunities – its misuse can unleash a potential maelstrom of challenges.
A minor breach in data security can lead to an immense loss in terms of wealth, privacy and reputation.
Just as the internet is an ocean of information, it is also a thriving ground for online scams, phishing, Trojan Horses, malware, hacking attempts and stolen identities. This is a vulnerability that confronts us every day. IoT devices could be alarmingly vulnerable to hackers and trigger major security risks.
While we hear much about IoT and a bit about IoT security, the security aspect of the IoT ecosystem must be given some serious thought. Creating a secure public applications platform which will facilitate the IoT ecosystem that consists of partners, carriers and application developers is a must.
Security and control of identified devices are key aspects in a universe teeming with privacy concerns, insufficient authorisation, lack of transport encryption, insecure web interface and inadequate software protection.
With smartphones posing as a key component of IoT, there is a need to look at the complete lifecycle of the mobile security architecture – from design and implementing products and technologies to managing the architecture over time. A key element of security is encryption technology, which is critical to protecting the confidentiality and integrity of a digital transaction between two end points, such as a mobile device and a car or central house automation system.
For instance, the end-to-end security solution of a security platform such as BlackBerry relies on multiple sources of entropy to create a dynamic and effective security environment that ensures encrypted data remains unreadable until it is decrypted at the end of its transmission.
Randomly-generated security keys are matched to every transmitted packet of data. That means that at the end of its journey, a 1 megabyte file will be composed of 500 individual packets (or transactions), each encrypted with a unique key.
The importance of security for IoT infrastructure and platforms cannot be overemphasised. Rather than specific products or services, the next important developments in IoT should be overarching standards, policies, security frameworks and infrastructures.
A stable secure technology platform with proven security standards will be imperative for IoT proliferation. This isn’t only about the protection of individuals and their privacy but about safeguarding India’s digital ecosystem and the economy therein.
The writer is Managing Director, BlackBerry India
