Taking A Holistic Approach to the Internet of Things

IGF USA, Washington DC, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
July 24, 2017

 
Moderator:

  • Dan Caprio, The Providence Group

Panelists:

  • Evelyn Remaley, NTIA
  • Anne Hobson, R Street Institute
  • Adiel Akplogan, ICANN
  • Nathan Wineinger, 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative
  • Julie Kearney, Consumer Technology Association

Opening Remarks, Dan Caprio

  • formed the IGF IoT dynamic coalition in 2008
  • IGF global framework aims at developing an IOT ecosystem utilizing a strategic approach into account from the outset www.iot-dynamic-coalition.org
  • transparency, accountability and choice are essential
  • how do we deal with the process of securing the IoT?

Evelyn Remaley, NTIA

  • 2016, internet policy taskforce, published green paper in Jan 2017, balancing policy, encouraging commerce, international scale
  • DOC letting the IoT market grow, just as the internet was allowed to grow without regulation
  • July 2016 convening a multi stakeholder process IoT patchability, consensus that consumers should know about patchability and upgrades, next report due in September
  • cybersecurity executive order to counter botnets and establish additional cybersecurity

Anne Hobson, R Street Institute

  • focused on cybersecurity challenges
  • array of interconnected devices
  • 70% of these devices have a security issue
  • not isolated, but distributed problem, IoT requires holistic solutions

Adiel Akplogan, ICANN

  • taking the IP, unique identifier approach
  • IoT is unmanaged, who has control over that?
  • need to raise awareness and capacity building of how the internet works
  • this isn’t just the responsibility of ISPs, but all of us, as we have networks in our homes

Nathan Wineinger, 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative

  • 79% of the world, faces persecution based on their religious belief
  • religious groups to use IoT to circumvent government and social persecution
  • IoT must take account of these needs

Julie Kearney, Consumer Technology Association

  • represents ISPs, IoT working group, CTA best practices for the IoT
  • mainstream tech retailers and healthcare
  • IoT should improve lives, modernize homes, monito health, improve data analytics

Open Conversation

  • NTIA is collecting data on the moving parts/mechanics of other groups focusing on IoT
  • IoT still at early stage, standards are evolving
  • CTA consumer education, securing home networks

What’s the role of government when it comes to guidelines?

  • multiple agencies involved including the FTC, FDA, DoT
  • NTIA open to neutral investigation and managing partnerships

How are we going to go about security and IoT?

  • no one solution, federated approach, no silver bullet
  • must be seen as a global issue, the most recent DDOS attack occurred from devices developed overseas and with poor security
  • cyber-insurance, private market mechanism, requires a risk assessment that includes baseline standards, ensuring good cybersecurity hygiene

Key Takeaways

  • NTIA is tackling the issues surrounding IoT by creating an internet policy taskforce within the DoC.
  • Scope and scale of IoT is new.
  • Ethics incorporates the way people see and interact with our daily lives.
  • The fundamental premise of the IoT is to make life better.
  • We need a holistic/ecosystem approach to the IoT and must avoid a siloed approach.
  • Cybersecurity underpins IoT. You can’t have privacy without security.
  • There are no silver bullet solutions.
  • Design requirements could do more harm than good.
  • Distributed issues should have distributed solutions.
  • IoT has the potential to serve as a buffer and protector of those persecuted for their religious beliefs.
  • Focus must be on the positive side of IoT as a modernizer of homes, health and analytics.
  • Must continue to strengthen the multi-stakeholder model.

More informations at the IGF USA Wiki on Taking A Holistic Approach to the Internet of Things