Tech sector undermines customers’ cyber security

Cyber security is all the rage these days. Technology, for most, is no longer an option, but an essential part of their everyday lives. Yet most people still know far less than even they feel they should. But, the initial wariness about online dealings, or transfer of information, inevitably subsides as it all becomes more familiar.

That, the cyber guardians tell us, is asking for trouble. Speaking at last week's World Cyber Security Technology Research Summit, organised by Queen's University's centre for secure information technologies, Douglas Maughan was the latest doomsayer, warning security- conscious businesses could be undone by employees' smartphones or iPads.

“ Nearly everything that you own or come into contact with – from your phone to your car to a medical device – is really just software, and software is vulnerable, so we need to learn about how we can understand the threats better.”

Nor can he can be dismissed as a crank. Director of US department of homeland security’s cyber security division, he notably does not own a smartphone.

Of course, it would help if the industry did its bit. Computer software is about as unreliable a product as you are likely to come across. Whether through speed, arrogance or ignorance, computer code is invariably full of bugs. As a result, the lifecycle of a piece of software is notable generally for the number of patches needed to fix often glaring security breaches.

Windows XP is a case in point. First released in 2001, it is still the subject of regular security patches, but all that stops from next week.

Estimated to run 40 per cent of PCs and almost all ATMs, Microsoft's decision to no longer support its own software in favour of more modern alternatives means future issues will not be addressed. Worse, flaws in more modern software – which will allow hackers target similar weakness in XP – mean Microsoft is undermining the cyber security of many of its customers.

Strange business model . . .