ESSAY : Information Security & Countermeasures

FIRST PAGE
Research and report on embedded systems in use at their workplaces, schools or homes. What types are currently in use? What are the next expected advances? What are security risks and precautions taken?

SECOND PAGE
Discuss supply chains and the security risks therein. How difficult is it for manufacturers to insure security of components they obtain?

Debate the change made by Microsoft, Google and others to push patches without user acceptance or intervention. What are the technical and ethical implications?

SAMPLE SOLUTION

There is a lot of evidence showing that many devices are already connected to billions of gadgets making intelligent computing technology a common feature to date. This has been made possible by embedded systems which combines both the hardware and software. As opposed to general purpose systems whose peripherals are visible, embedded systems have most of its peripherals inside the module. The combination of hardware and software is mostly meant to achieve a certain function. It can thus use a microcontroller or a microprocessor in order to undertake a specific function. Embedded systems in that case doesn’t have an operating system. They can be used at home for washing, vending machines as well as data loggers in schools. The available types of embedded systems depend on the desired performance of the microcontroller where types are medium scale embedded system, small scale embedded system as well as sophisticated embedded system. Based on performance and functional needs, the existing types are real time such as robots, standalone…