All posts tagged: iot

Knowledge Nugget | Understanding the Readiness for Frontier Technologies Index — A must-know for UPSC Exam

Knowledge Nugget | Understanding the Readiness for Frontier Technologies Index — A must-know for UPSC Exam

Published by Parlour News

Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here’s your knowledge nugget for today. (Relevance: The UPSC has previously asked questions on various indexes and emerging technologies. For example, in the UPSC CSE Prelims 2020, there were questions related to blockchain technology and artificial intelligence. Therefore, it becomes important to understand not only these technologies but also other frontier technologies for the UPSC exam.) Why in the news? The 2025 Technology and Innovation Report, issued by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), stated that India ranked 36th in 2024 on the ‘Readiness for Frontier Technologies’ index, improving its position from 48th in 2022. Story continues below this ad Key Takeaways : 1. In a world rapidly reshaped by AI and other frontier technologies, it is crucial for developing countries to prepare themselves for these new developments. In this context, a useful measure in assessing national preparedness to use, adopt, and adapt frontier technologies is the UNCTAD Frontier Technologies Readiness Index. 2. The ‘Readiness for Frontier …

Qualcomm, Intel, and Others Form Ambient IoT Coalition

Qualcomm, Intel, and Others Form Ambient IoT Coalition

Published by Webster

Organizations including Qualcomm and Wiliot have announced the formation of the Ambient IoT Alliance, a multi-standard ecosystem of ambient IoT manufacturers, suppliers, integrators, operators, users, and customers. Ambient IoT is an ecosystem for devices that draw energy from ambient radio waves, light, motion, heat, or any other widely available, pervasive source. Bluetooth, 5G Advanced, and 802.11bp could help support this class of devices, which offers high scalability and, potentially, lower costs than non-ambient versions, the alliance said. The term ambient IoT could apply to a wide variety of  “battery-less things,” such as sensors for location, temperature, and humidity. In the press release, the Ambient IoT Alliance said their ecosystem is not meant to replace any other standardization activities; instead, the group will promote ambient IoT and contribute documentation, support, and use cases to standardization efforts where appropriate. Must-read IoT coverage Who are the founding members of the Ambient IoT Alliance? Founding members of the Ambient IoT Alliance include: Atmosic. Infineon Technologies AG. Intel. PepsiCo. Qualcomm. VusionGroup. Wiliot. The group’s founders hope businesses, telcos, technology vendors, …

US to Launch Cyber Trust Mark to Label Secure Smart Devices

US to Launch Cyber Trust Mark to Label Secure Smart Devices

Published by Webster

The U.S. government is set to introduce a seal of approval to help consumers identify secure internet-connected devices, the White House announced in a press release on Jan. 7. The U.S. Cyber Trust Mark will certify devices that meet certain security standards. Following the initiative’s first announcement in July 2023, the Federal Communications Commission provided details on Tuesday about how companies can submit their products for approval under the new label. The label applies to consumer devices only rather than connected devices intended for “manufacturing, industrial control or enterprise applications.” “We see great potential in the US Cyber Trust Mark Program,” said Michael Dolan, senior director and head of enterprise privacy and data protection at Best Buy, in the press release. “It is a positive step forward for consumers and we are excited about the opportunity to highlight this program for our customers.” The news comes as cyberattacks are increasingly plaguing companies and governments worldwide. In 2024, the Justice Department disrupted a cyberattack that had targeted consumer routers and connected cameras. SEE: Cybersecurity professionals struggle …

Mobile, IoT, and OT Cyber Threats Surge in 2024

Mobile, IoT, and OT Cyber Threats Surge in 2024

Published by Webster

A new report from cloud security company ZScaler sheds light on the growing mobile threats on Android operating systems, as well as IoT and OT devices threats. The findings come as more than 60% of the global Internet traffic is now generated by mobile devices and financially-oriented mobile threats have grown by 111% over the last year. A list of mobile malware threats ZScaler’s ThreatLabz witnessed a 29% rise in banking mobile malware over the previous year, with banking malware representing 20% of the total Android threat landscape. Most active banking malware families to date include: Vultur, which is primarily distributed through the Google Play Store. Hydra, distributed via phishing messages, websites, and malicious Google Play Store applications. Ermac, designed to steal financial data from banking and wallet apps. Anatsa, also known as TeaBot Coper, also known as Octo Nexus, primarily targets cryptocurrency accounts Most of these banking malware record keystrokes, hijack credentials, and intercept SMS messages in order to bypass Multi-Factor Authentication. SEE: How to Create an Effective Cybersecurity Awareness Program (TechRepublic Premium) Spyware …

RedCap, the 5G for wearables and IoT, will get its first devices soon

RedCap, the 5G for wearables and IoT, will get its first devices soon

Published by Webster

Both T-Mobile and AT&T have plans to release their first devices soon that run on RedCap, a 5G specification that is tooled for Internet of Things devices, according to Fierce Wireless. What is RedCap? Great question! Also called “reduced capability” or NR-Light, RedCap is a low-bandwidth version of 5G that’s expected to make certain devices, like wearables, sensors, or surveillance cameras simpler and more power efficient, according to an Oracle document. That could mean cheaper cellular-connected smartwatches, XR glasses, or other portable products that don’t need high-powered antennas and fast throughput last longer on a charge. AT&T, which began testing the spec on its own network early this year, reportedly plans to release its first NR-Light devices in 2025, Fierce Wireless writes. T-Mobile will launch one of its own before this year is out. It’s not clear what those devices will be, but AT&T AVP of device architecture Jason Silkes has hinted at what early NR-Light products could look like, telling Fierce in June that the first RedCap devices will probably be cheap mobile hotspots …

4 IoT Trends U.K. Businesses Should Watch in 2024

Published by Webster

The realm of the Internet of Things encompasses more than just the latest products. As the network of connected devices grows — the number worldwide is expected to reach over 29 billion in 2027 — so do the policies, responsibilities and innovations that surround it, all of which contribute to successful IoT integration. With help from Steve Statler, the chief marketing officer at IoT technology provider Wiliot, TechRepublic has identified the top four trends emerging in IoT that U.K. businesses should be aware of: the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Act, narrowband IoT, AI-augmented IoT and new memory technologies. Tech decision makers need to ensure all their devices are compliant with the PSTI Act or they may not be safe from cyber threats, while narrowband IoT could make a host of new devices available to remote businesses. The continuous development of AI-augmented devices and new memory technologies could also see a range of high-performance devices becoming more affordable. SEE: Top IIoT Security Risks 1. Compliance with the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 …

The CSA launches an IoT Device Security Specification and certification program for smart home devices

Published by Webster

As useful as connected devices like video doorbells and smart lights are, it’s wise to exercise caution when using connected tech in your home, especially after years of reading about security camera hacks, fridge botnet attacks, and smart stoves turning themselves on. But until now, there hasn’t been an easy way to assess a product’s security chops. A new program from the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), the group behind the smart home standard Matter, wants to fix that. Announced this week, the CSA’s IoT Device Security Specification is a baseline cybersecurity standard and certification program that aims to provide a single, globally recognized security certification for consumer IoT devices. Device makers who adhere to the specification and go through the certification process can carry the CSA’s new Product Security Verified (PSV) Mark. If that security camera or smart lightbulb you’re buying carries the mark, you’ll know it has met requirements to help secure it from malicious hacking attempts and other intrusions that could impact your privacy.  “It’s a huge step forward to have a global …

Matter interoperability tops Amazon’s CES 2023 IoT announcements

Published by Webster

Car voice assistance, navigation and the Matter standard top Amazon’s CES 2023 announcements. Plus, how far are we into the age of robots powered by ambient computing? Image: elenabsl/Adobe Stock CES 2023 welcomed many companies back for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. It’s also the year that may be remembered as bringing Matter, a smart home standard, into the spotlight. For Amazon, it’s a chance to introduce a variety of new products, partnerships and connectivity enabled by Matter. Ring and Sidewalk smart home lines expand The Ring doorbell line expanded to Car Cam, a forward and backward facing dashboard camera with similar online capabilities to the Ring doorbell. Its smart sensors activate in the case of certain events, whether your car is moving or standing still. The Ring line now includes Peephole Cam as well, which can be installed on top of a conventional door peephole. It’s designed to expand Ring capability to a rental or apartment environment, Amazon said. SEE: Tech projects for IT leaders: How to build a home lab, …

Pepper and Notion Launch Joint Iot Venture

Published by Webster

Image: elenabsl/Adobe Stock Consumer IoT platform Pepper and Comcast’s insurance tech unit Notion have combined, the companies announced, declining to name the financial terms. The joint effort will offer insurance companies IoT and smart home integration solutions. “We believe connected insurance tech is the next frontier of innovation in consumer IoT,” said Scott Ford, CEO of Pepper. “Combining Notion’s leading smart property monitoring sensor system with Pepper’s full-featured platform and service offerings will provide insurance carriers a customized suite of connected solutions through a seamless white-label approach.” IoT and insurance: What is insurtech? In essence, insurtech with IoT enables insurance carriers to monitor homes and businesses for signs of possible damage, including water leaks, fire, carbon monoxide, mold, open doors and windows, drastic temperature changes and other possible threats. SEE: Hiring Kit: IoT developer (TechRepublic Premium) Pepper is a consumer IoT platform for businesses which seek to build, deliver and monetize secure connected devices and services. Current customers include consumer IoT brands, manufacturers, distributors, retailers and service providers. Notion makes smart property monitoring sensor systems …

Study: Consumer security savvy is way behind IoT threat landscape

Published by Webster

A new Comcast study hints at a major risk to businesses, governments and public systems due to poor cybersecurity in the booming Internet of Things industry. Image: your123/Adobe Stock With the rapid expansion of Internet-connected devices, both consumer and industrial, the cyber-threat landscape is growing faster than individuals’ ability to keep up. Consumer prowess at noticing threats, much less defending against them, is lagging. With consumers indifferent about securing their web touchpoints comes risks to commerce as well as public and private infrastructure and systems. Comcast’s biennial take on consumer cyber health, the 2022 Xfinity Cyber Health Report, found that there are an average of 15 connected devices per household, up 25% from 2020 — with “power users” having as many as 34. Home IoT: Backdoor to infrastructure attacks The implications are not just dire for individuals: Vulnerabilities at any node — whether a home climate control system, car, or major appliance — can serve as entry points for threat actors, according to Yury Dvorkin of Johns Hopkins University’s Ralph O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute, an …