AMID the ongoing fallout over the software in some Volkswagen cars that was able to cheat emissions tests, the public may well be pondering a wider question: can we trust the software in the gadgets we use every day? If a car鈥檚 software can deceive, what might our devices be programmed to do that is not in our interests?
Some and already stand accused of manipulating energy efficiency tests. But software can鈥檛 just be used to make beating such tests easier. It also makes it easier to and raises .
Advertisement
Whenever devices go online, manufacturers (and others) gain the ability to invade privacy: recall that also happened to gather private conversations.
Then there鈥檚 the vexed issue of security. Insecure software can let attackers , or . It could even allow them to crash anything from an to a car.
The result is not so much an internet of things as an in our homes, their software opaque to us and vulnerable to attack. What can be done to win back our trust?
First, firms should not collect data they do not need. Apple鈥檚 success in , not centrally, proves you don鈥檛 need to collect every byte to provide a useful service.
Second, companies must issue regular security updates 鈥� not take five years, as General Motors did, that could have let attackers control some cars.
Third, whenever a device has the , the manufacturer should be required to release source code to regulators. We trust regulators to inspect every other aspect of these devices; why should software be any different?
But the biggest advance would be gaining full control over our devices. This could involve companies releasing source code when they stop supporting a device, and letting users easily install new system software. Then modders could provide new features and security patches.
And who knows? A secondary software market might develop, with innovations the makers of devices never dreamed of. This might sound like a fantasy, but we鈥檝e seen it realised before 鈥� when independent developers put their own software on personal computers, instead of sticking to the system the manufacturer installed.
If we want smart devices to truly flourish, we need manufacturers to give us the same sort of control. Only then will they also regain our trust.
(Image: Andrzej Krauze)
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淐orrupted code鈥�
