The embedded systems industry is struggling to properly bring devices online due to the security implications of connecting devices at mass scale. The Internet of Things is not new — it was previously referred to as cyber-physical systems or machine-to-machine (M2M): bringing devices online is not a novel development. But due to the scale of connecting devices and the numerous hacks that has already affected health-sensitive target devices as in the case of medical devices and connected cars, it is rightfully receiving renewed scrutiny.
One specific area receiving attention is the ability to update and patch vulnerable IoT devices. Unfortunately, the software update mechanism is typically a rudimentary homemade endeavor for many embedded development teams. A common thread from these homegrown updaters was it largely lacked the many capabilities to ensure security and robustness.