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Sam Benzacar, of
Anatech Electronics, an RF and microwave filter company, has published his
April
2024 newsletter that, along with timely news items, features his short op-ed entitled
"Expanding IoT Networks Pose Increased Security Risk," where he reports on the
current state of 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) world. He says there are 20
million IoT devices in service now and an expected 27 million by 2025 (that's
next year, believe it or not!). The movement from wired to wireless began with
Bluetooth, WiFi, cellular, and even ZigBee to some extent. 5G's stated goal is
to have the capability to totally obviate the need for wired interconnections,
be it for telephones, computers, security, home appliances, industrial controls,
or any other entity needing real-time communications with something else. Of
course most equipment requires a separate power supply from batteries (with or
without dedicated solar cell array, wind generator, etc.) or the electric power
distribution system. Along with the freedom from wires comes subjection to
malicious infiltration to collect data and/or to control the device or system.
It is an unfortunate fact that there is always someone or some group intent of
corrupting and harming others.
A Word from Sam Benzacar - Expanding IoT Networks Pose Increased
Security Risk
 By Sam Benzacar
Not too long ago, IoT was merely an acronym, symbolizing the potential of small,
connected devices across numerous applications. Like most emerging technologies
(with AI being a notable exception), IoT experienced a slow start. One contributing
factor was the multiple connectivity options available, ranging from Thread to ZigBee,
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and, eventually, 5G. It took considerable time for a dominant
technology to emerge, but now IoT has become a formidable force, serving hundreds
of applications. However, this growth has brought about a significant concern: security.
There are at least 20 billion active IoT devices worldwide, with projections
indicating an increase to 27 billion connected devices by 2025. Consequently, cybersecurity
has become an unavoidable issue as IoT devices typically have limited processing
power and memory, leaving them vulnerable to hacking. Once compromised, an IoT device
can serve as a gateway for attackers to infiltrate an entire network, potentially
accessing sensitive data or disrupting critical systems. The absence of standardization
in IoT security protocols and the widespread use of default passwords worsen these
risks. IoT devices also rely on firmware rather than dedicated software for their
operating systems, and as they are seldom updated, security vulnerabilities in the
firmware are easily exploited by attackers.
 According to the Nokia Threat Intelligence Report
from June 2023, the number of IoT devices involved in botnet-driven Distributed
Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks has surged from about 200,000 to about 1 million
devices a year. These findings, based on data aggregated from monitoring network
traffic on over 200 million devices worldwide where the Nokia NetGuard Endpoint
Security product is deployed, underscore the severity of the issue.
A 2022 report by the FBI identified many vulnerabilities created by unpatched
medical devices running on outdated software and lacking adequate security features.
Cyber threat actors can exploit these vulnerabilities to significantly impact healthcare
facilities, compromising operational functions, patient safety, data confidentiality,
and integrity.
Addressing security in IoT networks, starting at the device level, must be prioritized
from the design phase through deployment and throughout the device lifecycle, so
the future of IoT security rests heavily on the decisions of device manufacturers.
If they prioritize security over short-term profits, the overall security posture
of IoT ecosystems will improve. However, if manufacturers ignore these issues, hoping
nothing "bad" happens, the situation may worsen, leaving users and critical infrastructure
vulnerable to an evolving landscape of cyber threats.
 Space Force to Launch 160 Small Satellites
The Space Development Agency, which functions within the U.S. Space Force and
is dedicated to deploying disruptive space technology, aims to deploy hundreds of
small satellites into low Earth orbit to enhance communications and increase data
rate as part of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture program. The agency
has already launched 27 satellites and plans to launch a second wave later this
year and to have 160 when the mission is completed. They are designed to provide
global coverage, with more than 24 of the satellites dedicated to missile warning
systems and others assigned to missile control operations.
FCC Increases What It Considers Broadband to Be
 The FCC has raised the bar for acceptable broadband internet speeds, setting
new benchmarks at 100 Mb/s for downloads and 20 MB/s for uploads. This marks a significant
increase from the previous standards of 25 Mb/s down and 3 Mb/s up, which had been
in place since 2015. The decision to redefine these standards has elicited various
reactions from stakeholders in the telecommunications industry, reflecting the diverse
technologies and business models employed by internet service providers (ISPs) across
the U.S. Providers offering fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) services, known for their symmetrical
upload and download speeds, argued against the asymmetrical standard. They suggested
that it could prioritize entertainment over productivity applications, which often
require greater upload bandwidth. On the other hand, the Wireless Internet Service
Providers Association (WISPA), whose members primarily serve rural communities with
fixed wireless access technologies, and Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service,
expressed support for the FCC's updated definition of broadband.
 A Time Zone for the Moon?
The Biden administration has tasked NASA with creating a new time zone for the
moon by the end of 2026. The initiative to create a lunar time zone comes amid growing
global interest in establishing a long-term presence on the moon in the coming years,
which is a priority of NASA's Artemis program. The new lunar standard, called "Coordinated
Lunar Time (LTC)," is part of a broader effort to "establish time standards at and
around celestial bodies other than Earth," according to a memo from the White House
Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). It was not immediately clear whether
the moon would have multiple time zones.
 RF Exposure Studies: The U.S. Calls It Quits
According to Microwave News, an authority on RF radiation effects for more than
40 years, the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP), a federal interagency program
headquartered at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS),
has terminated its research program investigating the potential health impacts of
RF radiation exposure from wireless communication technologies. This decision effectively
ends more than 50 years of research by U.S. civilian agencies into the biological
effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation. The NTP's decision to terminate
its RF research program comes at a time of rapidly expanding deployment of 5G cellular
networks and increasing public concern regarding the potential health ramifications
of ubiquitous exposure to millimeter-wave radiation, which had not been comprehensively
studied in the NTP's previous toxicology assessments.
Anatech Electronics Introduces a New Line of Suspended Stripline and
Waveguide Type RF Filters
Check out Our Filter Products
Cavity Band Pass Filters
LC Band Pass Filters Cavity Bandstop/Notch Filter
About Anatech Electronics
Anatech Electronics, Inc. (AEI) specializes in the design and manufacture of
standard and custom RF and microwave filters and other passive components and subsystems
employed in commercial, industrial, and aerospace and applications. Products are
available from an operating frequency range of 10 kHz to 30 GHz and include cavity,
ceramic, crystal, LC, and surface acoustic wave (SAW), as well as power combiners/dividers,
duplexers and diplexers, directional couplers, terminations, attenuators, circulators,
EMI filters, and lightning arrestors. The company's custom products and capabilities
are available at www.anatechelectronics.com.
Contact:
Anatech Electronics, Inc.
70 Outwater Lane
Garfield, NJ 07026
(973)
772-4242
sales@anatechelectronics.com
Posted April 25, 2024
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