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5th Meeting of the IoT Advisory Board

Speaker: Christopher Autry, CEO, Iothic

1115-1145am EST Tuesday 18, July, 2023

Short Bio: 

Chris Autry is part of the Department of Computer Science at The University 

of Oxford, and holds an MSc in Software Engineering and Security from 

Oxford. He is also the CEO and founder of Iothic (www.iothic.io), a company 

focused on post-quantum safe network technology.

Where we are today with IoT and IIoT?

Three technological hurdles in IoT/IIoT systems: Existing Infrastructure, 

Interoperability and Security; Think about IoT/IIOT networks on a spectrum: 

One end = single owner, static network, defined connections that never 

change. Other end = highly dynamic networks that themselves change over 

time that interact with other highly dynamic networks, each with different 

administrator/owners. IoT and IIoT require the dynamic end of the networking 

structure. One of main obstacles is that most IoT solutions are designed with 

the the wrong end of the network spectrum in mind (ie, static, single owner, 

highly centralised and predefined connections) but reality is modern IoT 

networks are dynamic, ever changing and involve multiple owner/ 

administrators.

Hope and promise of IoT/why is it important?

An idealised IoT landscape is one in which everything can securely 

communicate and connect with anything else that relevant in realtime. The 

complex real-time networks of things could provide functionality that we can 

only begin to envisage. In this scenario all sorts of intelligent automation and 

functionality become possible.

Connecting between IoT, AI and Quantum

AI and Machine learning are all dependant on network functionality, 

understanding the connections and functionality between the nodes in the 

network and then optimising in realtime the best possible combination of 

functionality to adapt to a particular real world problems. What would take a 

classical computing model 100 years to solve can be theoretically 

accomplished by Quantum computing in a matter of seconds. Calculating 

the probability of all possibilities at once. Near-term quantum computers are 

already being coupled with AI train models on network functionality to much 

success.

The power of quantum computing further has the potential to seriously 

disrupt all current security standards deployed in IoT/ IIoT networks. This
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includes all static security certificates, RSA, SSL/TSL and more. While there 

is a conscious attempt to define post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, 

much of this work is based on the client-sever model of computing rather

than decentralised computing, designing harder to solve algorithms that 

quantum computer cannot easily disrupt. One issue here is running these 

quantum safe algorithms on current infrastructure including but not limited to 

the operating technology (OT) on which most infrastructure including 

infrastructure in military and defence runs.

It is the option of this author, that the power of quantum computing poses 

just as much if not more of an existentialist threat to humanity if not

addressed appropriately than AI alone. Of course as previously mentioned, 

combining the two is another level of complexity and in fact Quantum AI is a 

term currently deployed. The entirety of technology can be turned on its head 

in ways we can only begin to imagine with easy accessibility of quantum 

computing. This affects IoT and IIoT directly as both are ideally intelligent 

networks that provide realtime functionality. If these networks are driven by 

Quantum AI, possibilities currently unknown become possible.

Direct Recommendations

1. Invest in integrating (quantum-safe) security solutions directly into 

network itself; Do not add another software layer that needs to be 

managed. Future-proof existing networks on existing infrastructure.

IMPACT ON IOT/IIOT: Future proofs current and future systems 

architectures using current networking and NIST standards

2. Invest in relatively autonomous and intelligent networking capabilities

that require minimal or little human involvement once the technology is 

deployed.

IMPACT ON IOT/IIOT: De-risks the human element of security, 

decreases cost by decreasing systems management, creates more 

intelligent dynamic networks.

3. Invest in decentralised and dynamic networks that can adapt in realtime; 

Move away from static, highly defined, centralised network structures.

IMPACT ON IOT/IIOT: Allows for current and future highly dynamic fluid 

IoT, and IIoT networks and interoperability between disparate networks.