Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/817722
36 SMT Magazine • May 2017 side, there will be additional security issues to manage. Of course, the IoT data transfer itself can easily be secured in a variety of different ways, many of which are available as part of the data exchange technology, and are proven. The more important factor in a controlled environ- ment such as the factory, however, is what hap- pens to the data once it is received by the in- tended party and is once more "open." Few in- dividual IoT messages in themselves will carry much importance. Together however, a great deal of information about the operation and products that are made can be gained. Informa- tion about performance of competitor systems may also now become freely available. Restric- tions such as ITAR also still apply, so routing and utilization of information needs to be care- fully managed, especially where data is stored in a cloud, which may physically reside across many different systems, and across continents. Though potentially more widespread with IoT, these issues are still similar to legacy issues of today. Once again, the real threat comes when we start to think about the true nature of IoT, where commands or requests may come in to processes and systems from outside, albeit over a secure interface, intended to control and man- age the operation in a better way, which could also have been created by systems or flows that have been compromised. It is like the "back door" that may have been introduced into your car's software through an innocent looking update. We hear already about cases where hackers have managed to get live access to a car as it is driving; to open windows, turn on lights, activate emergency braking, etc. The risk in this case is easy to understand. The same risks, however, are there in manufacturing with IoT in the future. With machines, process- es and systems now becoming dynamic, receiv- ing live external communication that modifies their behaviour from outside, we face the same kinds of security concerns, except that with bil- lions of IoT transactions potentially per day in a factory, it is going to be hard to track. The continued and professional management of IoT standards, as well as systems that adopt them, and environments that facilitate them, is criti- cal. The IoT-based application layer is now more exposed and available to a wider range of solu- tion providers as well as machine vendors, and so is the layer in which most risk will be faced. Many of these applications will be made by cus- tomer IT teams, bringing us back full circle to our original problem of data and system integ- rity issues where customers need to gain addi- tional connectivity, flexibility, and control. The knowledge and understanding of IoT-related IT skills should grow alongside the technology, or all IoT solutions must be provided by trust- ed suppliers. Nothing in this regard has really changed, but the stakes are now far higher. It is time to take this seriously. SMT Michael Ford is senior marketing development manager with Mentor Graphics Corporation Valor division. To read past columns, or to contact the author, click here. IF IT'S MY DATA, I CAN DO WHAT I WANT, RIGHT? Source: I-Connect007 Research In our recent survey on hiring, majority of the the respondents or 55% said they are plan- ning to hire this year—which we take as an op- timistic sign that our industry plans to expand in 2017. This chart shows which quarters this year these companies are planning to hire. I-Connect007 Survey: Help Wanted!