While there have been products designed to help users secure their computers for years now, these same products are now proving insufficient to meet the challenges of a new age. It is not that the products are not good, because they generally are. Nor is the problem such that malware has become a serious business, which it has. The problem, simply put, is that there are so many devices that are being connected to home and office networks that were not being connected even a few short years ago.
Devices Everywhere! Both a Blessing and a Curse
The problem with having so many devices is that…well, there are so many devices to secure. Not all of these devices even run user-accessible operating systems, but that does not stop hackers from developing malware that will target everything from un-secured handheld devices to almost impossible to secure set top boxes and even television sets. After all, these devices typically run some sort of embedded OS, and any OS has its flaws for those willing to take advantage of them. This means a lack of security, and that means an open door for hackers, hoodlums, and worse.
Just think of everything you have in your home that is connected to the Internet via a broadband connection, either directly or via a router of some kind. Here are just a few possibilities:
- Computer
- iPad/Tablet
- Smartphone
- Set Top Box (STB)
- Gaming Console
- HD TV set+
- Netflix/Boxee Box/ Apple TV/etc.
- VoIP hardware
- Blu-Ray player
- A router
- Network Attached Storage Box
- A server
This particular problem has been coming down the pipe for some time, but yet there are very few solutions available. Virtually all of these devices use a broadband connection or are capable of using broadband technologies, and that puts them at risk whenever they are on and connected.
The Profit Motive
The biggest question many might ask is: why would anyone bother to hack a set top box or iPad? Well, the answer varies depending on who is doing the hacking, but the bottom line is that malware is very big business. Unprotected operating systems that were not meant to be hacked because they are theoretically ‘closed’ to OS-level and even application-level modifications are particularly vulnerable simply because there are no aftermarket protection systems that can be installed.
A good analogy would be to imagine that you are out of work, which may not be hard to do depending on how the economy is when you read this, and have to make a living by sneaking into houses and buildings. Luckily, you have discovered that every single door on the planet with a round handle uses the exact same key, a key which you happen to have because you also have that exact same door handle at home. Your job is a lot easier now, isn’t it? The same thing is true of set top boxes that run custom embedded OSes and cannot have third-party malware protection/firewalls installed.
So, Do We Just Surrender Then?
While few of these devices can be protected on an individual basis, there is a possibility: a hardware firewall. The first problem with a hardware solution is that a decent hardware firewall costs at least a few hundred dollars, though there are some routers that have relatively weak internal firewalls that will not necessarily do everything that is needed. What is needed is a firewall that has a complete online management system that can be managed from a single HTTP-enabled device, as this allows a single computer to protect nearly every device on the network after a lengthy setup.
The setup process itself can be difficult, lengthy, and may cause problems with certain types of NAT-resolution systems that are used by gaming consoles, many smartphones, and some tablet computers such as the iPad. Additionally, there are some routers and NAS boxes that have problems with certain hardware firewalls, and the less expensive hardware firewalls are more likely than not to be the source of many headaches and compatibility problems. Add to this the fact that it costs several hundred dollars for a hardware firewall capable of keeping up with a fast fiber optic connection, such as a Verizon FiOS 50 Mbps connection, and the situation seems sadly unresolved.
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