[Cryptography] Simple IoT sensor encryption ?

[Christian Huitema]

On Thursday, April 14, 2016 1:15 PM, Jerry Leichter wrote:
> 
> > Threat model: since the sensors are cheap & widely distributed, we have to
> assume that anyone can get physical access to such a sensor & perform any
> amount of analysis on it that s/he wants.  Furthermore, the data channels
> between the sensor and the data repository are available for everyone to see --
> e.g., wireless transmission, with the possibility of MITM attacks.
> I don't see a threat model here.  Yes, these are bits and pieces of attack
> techniques ... but what exactly are you intending to secure?  All I see here is the
> values sent by the sensor.  Do you need to protect them from visibility, or are
> you concerned with integrity?  How about availability?
> 
> Without saying what properties you want the system to provide, you can't
> possibly analyze the threats - threats to do *what*?

Simple threat: the attacker spoofs the cheap sensor, and convinces the system that it is really freezing in the master room. Based on that input, the system cranks the boiler way up. The people sleeping in the master room end up being cooked.

-- Christian Huitema