Brittany Postnikoff on Security, Privacy, and Social Engineering with Robots

In this podcast, Daniel Bryant sat down with Brittany Postnikoff, a computer systems analyst specialising on the topics of robotics, embedded systems, and human-robot interaction. Topics discussed included: the rise of robotics and human-robot interaction within modern life, the security and privacy risks of robots used within this context, and the potential for robots to be used to socially engineer people.

Why listen to this podcast:

- Physical robots are becoming increasingly common in everyday life, for example, offering directions in airports, cleaning the floor in peoples’ homes, and acting as toys for children.

- People often imbue these robots with human qualities, and they trust the authority granted to a robot.

- Social engineering can involve the psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. This can be stereotyped by the traditional “con”.

- As people are interacting with robots in a more human-like way, this can mean that robots can be used for social engineering.

- A key takeaway for creators of robots and the associated software is the need to develop a deeper awareness of security and privacy issues.

- Software included within robots should be patched to the latest version, and any data that is being stored or transmitted should be encrypted.

- Creators should also take care when thinking about the human-robot UX, and explore the potential for unintended consequences if the robot is co-opted into doing bad things.

More on this: Quick scan our curated show notes on InfoQ https://bit.ly/2v5QTav

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