Unsafe at any clock speed: Linux kernel security needs a rethink
As important as security is, and as much as I think Linux should be secured more proactively, I have to take issue with two things mentioned:<p>1. Most devices are not administered by IT Professionals<p>This is true and must be taken into consideration, but while every layman can&#x27;t be a sysadmin, neither can you, I think in 2016, simply take a position of &quot;I don&#x27;t need to understand any of this, and everything should Just Work.&quot; I don&#x27;t think that&#x27;s realistic, if you want the home automation we see in the Jetsons, if you want smart devices in your home setup to make your coffee at exactly 5:56 AM, then you need to step up and take a little responsibility for learning how this stuff works and how to set it up. Now is it realistic for end users to perform kernel updates, testing functionality, and changing out for new packages as needed? Of course not. But a basic understanding of the underlying technology helps in a long way in troubleshooting the inevitable problems that will arise, and in letting you choose, intelligently, what OEM&#x27;s to do business with.<p>2. Manufacturers leaving devices un-updated, unmaintained after production<p>This is asinine, especially for the devices that require online connectivity. You already have a more-or-less constant WAN connection, so why on Earth can&#x27;t these devices update their firmware when required? The answer is of course that after-sale support is not profitable but that too is unacceptable, if you&#x27;re going to bake computers into your products, you as a company need to step the hell up and support them, not just throw them on the market for a quick buck and then run away with the cash.<p>My 0.02.