If you’re a fan of James Mickens, you’ll want to watch this: Not Even Close: The State of Computer Security (with slides) - James Mickens on Vimeo
If you’re not a fan of James Mickens, but you are a fan of IOT, then you’ll want to watch, and then you’ll be a fan of James.
Would making things wired instead of wireless will make it any better?
In the particular case he described, maybe, but in general, if things can communicate on a network, wired or wireless, they’re going to be a security weakness. This is his central point (assuming he has one, it’s James Mickens, after all), that the fewer things that are talking or being talked to, the better, from a security standpoint.
I enjoyed his talk, very humorous. I am guessing his main point is to use satire and humor to prove his point that everything is not as secure as you assume it is. I think every tech person understands that, even if they are reluctant to admit it. I don’t think he is advocating going back to 1960’s pre-network days. (At least I hope he is not.) However, he offers no solution or hint of a solution to the problem he so humorously described. Reducing the surface area of where an attack can happen is basic security practice already. Not creating new devices, even IP addressable light bulbs, simply because he seems to think they should exist doesn’t sound like a real solution.
All-in-all, I thought it was fun to watch. Thanks for posting.
Absolutely it’s all satire and humor. It’s his style.