From its origins a decade ago, the grassroots movement to enshrine in law the right to repair our stuff (read: cell phones, laptops, home appliances, cars, machinery) has morphed into a potent, global movement. Today, much of the debate over right to repair laws has focused on issues like concentrations of market power by large corporations and anti-competitive behavior with regard to service and repair of "smart," connected products. However, there is a less-discussed but equally potent argument in favor of repair: cybersecurity and data privacy. In this conversation, Paul Roberts, the founder of SecuRepairs.org (pron: Secure Repairs), talks about the dire state of device security on the Internet of Things and how efforts by manufacturers to limit access to software updates, diagnostic tools and parts exacerbates IoT cyber risk, even as it burdens consumers and the environment.

Segment Resources:

Securepairs.org: https://securepairs.org

Fight to Repair Newsletter: https://fighttorepair.substack.com

The Security Ledger: https://securityledger.com

 

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Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/esw287