Stuart Nathan

Beating the bugs

In-Depth

The Shellshock bug has highlighted just how vulnerable the Internet of Things is to attack — but are manufacturers taking cyber threats seriously?

From health monitors to smart fridges, there is no getting away from the ‘Internet of Things’. Products are becoming mini-machines, responding in real time to their environment and sending data through huge global networks. The same technology is driving the ‘Industrial Internet’, with sensors embedded into equipment and accessed online. GE has described the trend as a ‘revolution’ and claims it could add $10 trillion to $15 trillion to global GDP.

But while the Internet of Things is sweeping the world, a bug known as ‘Shellshock’ has revealed just how vulnerable systems are to attack. Shellshock is a flaw in the code of a software program called Bash, which is installed on non-Windows systems such as Mac, Linux and Unix. In industry, Bash can be found in anything from CAD/CAM software to 3D printers. The flaw affects all Apple Mac computers, around half of all websites and many internet-connected products.

Register now to continue reading

Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of premium content. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our premium content, as well as the latest technology news, industry opinion and special reports. 

Benefits of registering

  • In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends

  • Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year

  • Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address