Almost everything connected to a system is at risk of hacking or a cyber attack. We need to make more secure systems, rather than let fear hold us back!
Lynn Harvey, Massachusetts
It is better to recognise the threat and manage the risks, whilst gaining the benefit of connecting to the Internet of Things, than trying to turn back time.
G Davidson, Warrington
No. Doing so primarily benefits the OEMs providing continuous information about how their plant is being operated, whilst leaving the plant operators exposed to the threat of cyber attacks.
Graham Sorbie, Kinross
Why do companies want all their systems and machinery to be open to attack? Their IT managers should advise management to keep everything totally disconnected and running on an internal system only.
A W Arthur, Devon
Careful risk assessment needs to be done on safety-critical processes. The spectre of an army of diggers advancing across the country with their fly-by-wire hacked by a teenager on the other side of the world is perhaps not as remote a possibility as we might think.
Michael Reid, Peterborough
Any application at risk from attack should have a very good reason why it should be connected to the internet. Shouldn’t just be for the fact that it can be done.
Anonymous
If the benefits outweighed the risks and the risks weren’t significant, then yes it is. Otherwise, no.
Jamie Davies, Llantrisant
No. Stay off the internet whenever possible. PCs still aren’t safe from viruses. Dishwashers with bugs are just the tip of the iceberg. And driverless cars? Don’t get me started. Do you really want to pay anti-virus companies to protect your house and your factory?
Simon Shaw, Ickenham, Middlesex
If everyone connects their kettles, dishwashers and toasters to the internet, how long will it be before someone causes a monumental crash of the system? It has been suggested that this will be the next cyber target, so do we need connected toasters? Do they toast better? I doubt it.
Gareth Lewis, Bristol
Not sure it was ever more than a gimmick, anyway. What’s wrong with preventative maintenance?
Anonymous
There is no such thing as unhackable, and we live in the era of state-sponsored internet crime.
David Tighe, Bristol
Yes, provided firewalls and other protections are implemented.
Neil Dinmore, Derby
We must never give in to threats from terrorism or cyber attacks. Future technology will be able to protect itself from attacks from any unwanted sources. The enemy will not win.
Robert Landragin, Enfield, Middlesex
We need to have top-notch security systems, including encryption. Let’s just hope governments don’t decide they need a key to unlock the encryption as they are proposing for human communications. If they have a key, it won’t be long before the bad guys either steal it or exploit the vulnerability that it represents. Then who knows what may happen.
Mike Wright, Tamworth, Staffordshire
Is the benefit of internet connection worth the risk of access by any bright teenager?
Robert Harris-Mayes, Ffaldybrenin, Carmarthenshire
The white hats will generally outplay the black hats because they will have more resources behind them. It has to be worth it to continue.
Chris Jones, Hilton, Derbyshire
The advantages outweigh the risk.
Mike Parton, West Midlands
Would you really want to expose your production facility to this kind of risk? For what benefit? Our IT systems are so bad that we can only use one computer at a time in our office.
Anonymous
There is a good opportunity for the software organisations to up their performance and produce security systems which fully meet the need of industry in the 21st century. At present, these organisations are somewhat behind what the hackers can produce.
Malcolm Tilley, Edinburgh
If the result of an attack is a breach of national security, or danger to life, there should be an interface with some type of activity monitor that can alert of a possible attack before it could be implemented. It could take the form of two independent commands required before any change to a control system can be made.
R Foyle, Weybridge, Surrey
No. Certainly not without a security system between sites, which can itself also be breached remotely, so the answer is still no.
Fulton McInnes