New England IoT: A Conversation Next Week On Cloud, Security and Internet of Things

One of the challenges of talking about security in the context of Internet of Things is that the Internet of Things (IoT) isn’t a discrete technology, but an umbrella phrase that encompasses a lot of separate innovations: mobility, inexpensive sensors, wireless connectivity, Big Data and so on.

The Connected Cloud Summit takes place in The State Room, downtown Boston on September 18.
The Connected Cloud Summit takes place in The State Room, downtown Boston on September 18.

One of the biggest moving parts in the IoT puzzle is cloud computing. Cloud infrastructure – whether its Amazon’s Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) or Google or any of the thousands (millions?) of private cloud – is the back end for almost every IoT product. That presents both opportunities and real challenge for companies that are looking to leverage IoT in their workplace.

Next week, I’m going to moderate a panel at an event here in Boston where we’ll tackle some of these issues head-on. The event: The Connected Cloud Summit is taking place in Boston on Thursday, September 18 at The State Room in downtown Boston.

[Security Ledger Readers get free, VIP passes to the Summit. To take advantage of this offer, visit the Summit registration site and enter the promo code VIP. Seats are limited and registration closes at end of day on Monday, so register ASAP.]

I’ll moderate an outstanding executive panel in the afternoon titled “Managing IoT Security, Connectivity & Compliance to Maximize Its Value.” My panelists will include Ken Carroll, the Vice President of Software Platforms and Digital Services at Schneider Electric as well as Ralph Zottola, the CTO of Research Computing at the University of Massachusetts, among other esteemed guests.

We’ll be talking about how Internet of Things technologies will both transform businesses and create a host of thorny regulatory and compliance challenges. Attendees will get some great insights about the kinds of operational challenges that adoption of IoT will present and walk away with some sage advice on first (or next) steps in securing IoT deployments.

Jeff Kaplan
Jeff Kaplan, Manager of Think Strategies. Kaplan is hosting the Connected Cloud Summit on September 18.

“Security is a huge issue with IoT just as it has been with cloud. We really are talking about how we have an ability to capture information about the movement of products and every action of the people who use those products and services,” said Jeff Kaplan, whose ThinkStrategies is hosting the Summit. ”

“As we’ve seen with the NSA or the leak of celebrity photos, whether leaks are intentional or inadvertent, there are a lot of concerns about how companies will secure their Internet of Things connections and endpoints. And when you consider the reality of everything from connected cars or homes, theres a lot of concern about what happens when someone who isn’t authorized to have access to those endpoints gets access to them – and what they can do,” Kaplan said.

Check out all of my conversation with Jeff in this week’s Security Ledger Podcast. Use the links below to listen to the podcast

 

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