Project Things

FOSDEM 2019

With the advent of the IoT, are we really making our lives simpler or diving ourselves in a vast ocean by uploading our lives to the internet? Project Things is an experimental framework of software and services from Mozilla for connecting "things" without any Middleman.

Mozilla is working to create a Web of Things framework of software and services that can bridge the communication gap between connected devices. By providing these devices with web URLs and a standardized data model and API, we are moving toward a more decentralized Internet of Things that is safe, open and interoperable. Using the Internet of Things today is a lot like sharing information on the Internet before the World Wide Web existed. There were competing hypertext systems and proprietary GUIs, but the Internet lacked a unifying application layer protocol for sharing and linking information. The “Web of Things” (WoT) is an effort to take the lessons learned from the World Wide Web and apply them to IoT.

From this talk audience will take away an understanding of the privacy concerns related to IoT, and how they may be putting their personal information at risk by connecting my physical entities to the internet and how project things come to the rescue. The goal is for visitors to leave with a better understanding of some of the issues surrounding the Internet of Things today, and how Mozilla is working to build a decentralised IoT with the Web of Things, to improve interoperability, privacy and security through standardization. Visitors

Project Things initially focuses on developing three components:

Things Gateway — An open source implementation of a Web of Things gateway which helps bridge existing IoT devices to the web
Things Cloud — A collection of Mozilla-hosted cloud services to help manage a large number of IoT devices over a wide geographic area
Things Framework — Reusable software components to help create IoT devices which directly connect to the Web of Things

A) Without Demos

Time Duration: 20-40 mins (flexible depending on the time allocation) Talk Structure: A.Without Live Demos:

General Discussion on What Is IoT and its future.
The pros and cons of connecting things to the internet.
How exploiters can breach the security and know our lifestyles.
Introduction to project things
Details about the project things framework.
How project things is secure and solve the problem of privacy and security

B) With Demos (can be converted to a workshop if needed)

Points included above (without demos).
Demo of DIY web things that makers can build themselves using the Things Framework. Examples will be shown using several low-cost developer boards such as Arduino, Espressif, BBC micro: bit, Adafruit Circuit Playground, and Raspberry Pi.
Demo and discussion of Implementing basic IoT attacks (education purposes) : accessing the devices using the physical, remote or local network.
Live demo & session on increasing security: Participants will learn how to increase the security and bypass few of these attacks.

Speakers: Philippe Coval Dipesh Monga