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Classic gear from yesteryear; vintage audio standing the test of time.

I'm a Application Security Engineer...

And my job includes paying attention to all trends in hacking software systems. Kal was 100% correct in relying on a computer as a processing platform.

A decent computer manufacturer will support that platform with the endless stream of patches in response to the latest attack (and that includes software apps from responsible manufacturers). Adding yet another box, with its own operating system and applications to your life is not a good idea.

In the cyber security world that is called expanding your attack surface. The more places you have for a hacker to attack, the more complicated it becomes to keep it secure. Its the old tried and true KISS principle.

If you have a single computer, with its apps, to take care of and keep secure, your chances of staying secure is raised. We are already seeing the chaos being caused from internet enabled devices (called the internet of things or IoT). A recent internet outage was caused by a group of these devices mounting a denial of service attack on DNS servers.

The IoT devices in question were created with a default password included and a list of those passwords were quickly published. In short order the attack was created and we had an internet outage as a result.

If you start adding these streaming boxes/servers, with their OS and apps, you are adding more devices you have to keep patched. No manufacturer can claim otherwise. It just isn't true. What you will be buying is another internet enabled computer and you are placing that device on a network that is likely connected to the internet.

It is an open invitation for another attack. The attack may not effect you directly. At least immediately. Once the malware gets planted in these devices all bets are off, though. Eventually we will be reading about hacks on peoples banking info/credentials caused by streaming devices, music servers, refrigerators, smart thermometers, etc.

Its your life and your dollars. You can opt to add these devices to your life, with the added complexity that comes with the convenience, or you can opt out of that.

Personally, knowing what I know, I stay away from these "smart" devices. The manufacturers who make them are not proving to be security aware and will make mistakes that you will end up paying for.

Just a warning,
Ed
Life is analog...digital is just samples thereof


This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Crux Audio  


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