Kunal Mahajan: Dev BootCamp
"The tale of my journey on becoming a Junior Web Developer..."
DBC-Cultural Blog:
Date: 08.01.15
Entry #: 3
Commentary:
So today, I felt the need to address one, (of the many) problems the tech industry is facing or will face in the very near future -Device Access Security. What is Device Access Security in simple terms? Well, it's the ability for users to permit their tech gadgets to [presumably] make our lives more efficient. That entails giving certain 'rights' to, (often times) sensitive material stored on our computers, tablets, smart phones, cars, etc to other automation, (for example) software.
You may be thinking, well I don't store much on my gadgets, so how can this affect me? Well, lets take for example OnStar; OnStar is a service that is equipped on most General Motor vehicles produced after 1997, and most other make/models after 2002. It's a simple button a driver operator can press during emergency situations, lock outs, locating service stations, turn-by-turn navigation, etc. Well, what IF a clever teenager across the world was able to penetrate OnStar and whilst your drive, veer your car off its guided path and forcibly cause a collision with a pedestrian?
You see, with the advancement in technology and the sheer amount of information available at ones fingertips, this isn't a far-off possibility. Sharing of personal information for marketing: tracking usage of certain apps, storing paths one may have taken, personal information stored on social media, etc all has digitized our personal lives. When can an individual say 'no' to sharing their personal information and still be able to reap the benefits of technology is a fine line, a fine line that has been crossed a many of times and one that comes with consequences. Reducing and/or removing consequences is the challenge facing the tech world in what's known as Device Access Security and one that is continually growing and unfortunately the industry hasn't found a proverbial 'remove all' button quite yet.