Rethinking Cloud-Connected Machines in Times of Conflict

By: Todd Janzen

My car recently did an over-the-air update of its operating system, directly downloading new software from the manufacturer’s cloud-based mothership. This is great for me, as the car’s owner, since the manufacturer can address bugs remotely without me having to take the car to the dealer.

But the war in Ukraine has also made me rethink the risks that come with connecting everyday machines to the cloud. What if the cloud connection became a source for negatively impacting machines?