Build your own: A Massachusetts town has declined an offer from a major ISP to build a high-speed broadband network and instead will create its own, the Boston Globe reports. While a locally owned network will initially cost more, residents of Charlemont say they want local control and local customer service.
Congo shuts it off: The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has shut down the Internet in several cities after a much-delayed presidential election, the BBC reports. Opposition candidate Martin Fayulu’s campaign accused the government of ordering the shutdown to avoid broadcasting his “overwhelming victory.” The shutdown in the Congo shows that China’s philosophy of Internet censorship is spreading, CNN comments.
Bangladesh, too: Meanwhile, Bangladesh ordered its own mobile network shutdown related to an election, Engadget reports. The country’s Telecommunication Regulatory Commission shut down 3G and 4G mobile data ahead of its Dec. 30 parliamentary elections to “prevent rumors and propaganda” from influencing the vote.
Blockchain marries IoT: Some large companies are looking for ways to use the blockchain technology with the Internet of Things, Network World says. Volkswagen is one of the companies, and automotive uses for blockchain include authenticating mileage for a lease return, or remote, over-the-air software updates.
AI vs. hackers: Companies are increasingly turning to Artificial Intelligence to help identify and predict cyberattacks, Bloomberg says. Large tech companies are moving away from older “rules-based” technology designed to respond to specific kinds of intrusion and “deploying machine-learning algorithms that crunch massive amounts of data on logins, behavior and previous attacks to ferret out and stop hackers,” the story says.
IoT and power outages? Some recent power outages may have been caused by IoT-related cyberattacks, Network World suggests. The writer notes several recent power outages at airports and wonders if they are related to hacker-controlled IoT botnets.
Targeting newspapers: A cyberattack in late December caused major printing and delivery delays at the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and other newspapers, CNBC.com reports. The cyberattack appeared to originate outside the United States.
The connected future is here. Let’s make sure it’s secure. #GetIoTSmart