IoT Companies to Testify That Legal Curbs, Security, Spectrum Are Concerns
Representatives of device manufacturers will ask lawmakers on the House Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee for changes to curbs that they believe potentially harm small businesses and hinder spectrum allocation, and for more focus on cybersecurity and access to patient data, at a Tuesday hearing.
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Security and data integrity are concerns, and "decision-makers are reluctant to allow cloud control of critical and dangerous operations," says Integra Devices Chief Technology Officer Mark Bachman. The telecom backbone needs to be upgraded to support a variety of data and the "exponential increase" in traffic, he will say.
Unauthorized data access challenges privacy, says Cameron Javdani, director-sales and marketing at Louroe Electronics, which develops audio tech for security systems. Basic security practices in the consumer market -- such as adding a password to devices -- can help prevent unauthorized access, he plans to say. Websites and online communities stream live video of people's unprotected surveillance cameras, he will say. Plus, malware and viruses scan networks for IoT devices that accept default credentials, and those devices can be used to do large-scale denial-of-service attacks. IoT adoption in the security industry is accelerating largely due to U.S. free trade agreements, adds Javdani. "Any change that restricts either will reduce exports and increase product prices to the detriment of American manufacturers."
Bill Kuhns, Vermont Energy Control Systems director-product development, says even "well-intentioned" regulations add costs and risks for a business, which forces it to focus on compliance. Cybersecurity is another major concern. He will say there are "literally hundreds" of attempts to penetrates systems and it's difficult to introduce new products without new vulnerabilities. "We need to figure out a more effective strategy for protective measures, deterrents, and law enforcement," he says.
Kuhns' company seeks access to lower frequencies that don't have high data rates but propagate through walls and trees. "It would be helpful to free up additional low-frequency spectrum for low-power devices," he says. "It would be crippling to sell rights to more specific bands at auction. Bandwidth is a finite public resource, and selling it to the highest bidder effectively shuts out small businesses."
William Marras, professor-neurological surgery at Ohio State University, says IoT medical benefits come with collecting massive amounts of patient data, and getting access to patient data is a challenge due to existing laws. Identity protections "create significant hurdles in attempting to assemble large databases of patient outcomes and hamper the effectiveness of machine learning efforts," he says. He recommends Congress consider the "bureaucratic burden" that privacy laws impose, with an eye toward advancements that will help patients.
Gary Butler, CEO of Camgian Microsystems, which develops industrial IoT, urges more research funding and a friendly regulatory environment. Testimony wasn't available from Peter Kosak, executive director-urban active solutions with General Motors North America.