> The Internet of Secure Things Alliance (ioXt) manages a security compliance assessment program for connected devices. ioXt has over 300 members across various industries, including Google, Amazon, Facebook, T-Mobile, Comcast, Zigbee Alliance, Z-Wave Alliance, Legrand, Resideo, Schneider Electric, and many others.
Apple being noticeably absent from this list while Facebook is on it speaks volumes.
This is interesting to me because Apple pushes the security so hard for connected devices. My understanding of the early HomeKit tech was that it was in fact prohibitively secure, and most low end manufacturers were unable to meet the security bar at the price they were targeting.
This could be a bad indication about Apple, but I think I'd end up interpreting this as a bad indication about ioXt. Big consortiums like this often end up creating a lowest common denominator, and Apple are known for not bowing to pressure to engage with things like this where they believe they can do better.
It's more like Apple loves to push their own standard on products
People said the same thing about Apple and USB. iPod and FireWire. MacBooks and Bluetooth. Apple not supporting HD-DVD. Apple not adding Blu-Ray to SuperDrive. Apple and DisplayPort. Apple when it released its first Airport.
It didnt matter that other companies were also using the same standards and methods. People are hypersensitive to what Apple both does and does not do.
Looking at the details for a ioXt Certified Mobile Application [0] vs. the details for an iOS app, at first glance the ioXt specifications do not include privacy details like the iOS app store does.
In which way? In that this alliance deserves a lot more skepticism (if Apple of all companies didn't join)? Or in that Apple should be more supportive of securing open, non-Apple platforms (if Facebook of all companies joined)?
A lot of this seems to focus on certification of the cloud things that you have to use with most IoT devices.
Since HomeKit operates locally, with the exception of remote access to your home through a HomePod/Apple TV/iPad hub, could that be why Apple hasn’t shown an interest in this?
Subterfuge has been a successful strategy. Take on the mantle of something people are keen on, water it down to your advantage and push it as being superior.
Apple being noticeably absent from this list while Facebook is on it speaks volumes.