Open Source Embedded Software Development and Security Blog

Build it fast, and build it secure: see the latest at Embedded World

Build it fast, and build it secure: see the latest at Embedded World

The world of embedded systems has gone through a massive transformation in recent years.

The rise of smart devices, the Internet of Things, mobile computing platforms, connected devices and a range of other innovations have driven embedded system deployments through the roof. Industry observers estimate IoT deployments alone account for 23 billion device deployments in 2018, up from 15 million in 2015. And that number is projected to triple in the next six years.
 

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Tracking and Maintaining the Security of Embedded Systems

Tracking and Maintaining the Security of Embedded Systems

The deployment modes and functionality of embedded systems have evolved rapidly in recent years, thanks to widespread connectivity of Internet of Things devices and associated systems.

Yet the common security practices for most embedded systems remain largely unchanged from the days when they were isolated, air-gapped systems.

The shortfall in embedded system security is leading to sharply escalating risk of cyberbreaches. The trend …
 

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The Risks of a ‘Stale, Abandoned’ Product

The Risks of a ‘Stale, Abandoned’ Product

Some product management decisions are hard. Product managers are constantly weighing trade-offs among time-to-market, functionality, competitive differentiation, development costs and other factors.

But some product decisions seem like no-brainers. Would you bring an IT product to market that puts customers at significantly increased risk of security breaches, privacy violations, potentially massive fines and lawsuits?

“Of course not. That would be lunacy,” you can imagine the typical product manager as saying. Yet companies are shipping products every day that introduce this sort of …
 

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‘Be Secure or Be Fined’ … 2018’s major milestones in IoT and embedded system security

‘Be Secure or Be Fined’ … 2018’s major milestones in IoT and embedded system security

As 2018 draws to a close, we’ve seen a landmark year in cybersecurity for embedded systems and the Internet of Things (IoT), marked by escalating threats, new regulation, and broader attacks.

Here’s a look back at three important IT security milestones in 2018 and a look forward with some predictions for 2019 and beyond.

2018: Year of Record Vulnerabilities
With a few days remaining in the year, the number of …
 

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Vulnerabilities keep piling up … time to make security a product differentiator?

Vulnerabilities keep piling up … time to make security a product differentiator?

Is your product the “Volvo” of embedded system products? For decades, carmaker Volvo has been known as a maker of safe vehicles.

While all makes of cars are generally much safer than in decades past, and some observers rank some other brands’ models higher in safety, there is no dispute that Volvo has made safety a cornerstone of its brand. Like other car brands have focused on qualities like luxury, reliability or the driving experience, Volvo has emphasized safety as a chief value of its products.
 

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Another record year in vulnerabilities as the CVE storm continues

Another record year in vulnerabilities as the CVE storm continues

The vulnerability storm continues unabated.

The count of security vulnerabilities has reached another annual record, with six weeks remaining in the calendar year. This week the number of Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) hit 14,722, eclipsing last year’s total of 14,714, according to the tracking totals at CVE Details.

CVEs are being added this year at a rate of more than 300 per week on average. If that pace holds, the total should rise by another 2,000 CVEs by year’s end.
 

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