Student Interviews

Katsuyoshi Watari

Researching the security of middleware, which is essential for the development of robots and IoT devices used in the home.

Security for robots that are becoming more and more accessible

Honda Motor has a long track record of research into robotics. In recent years we have seen the market for autonomous control and IoT devices that can be used in the home and on the street. At the same time, the security of these devices is becoming a major concern, such as preventing any damages to people or property, preventing information leaks, and avoiding the risk of a device being hijacked. With the lack of international standards and legislation, I wanted to learn about the whole picture of information security, and my boss recommended me to enrol at IISEC. I chose Prof. Okubo's research lab because I was attracted to the idea of "security-by-design".

Cautions for security-enhanced middleware

Security-by-design means that security is integrated into the development process from the design stage. I am researching middleware commonly used in robotics development from this perspective. Recently, middleware security specifications have been published and secure methods of communication between programs have been adopted. I am currently examining the vulnerability and the communication speed. I have found that the encrypted communications are as low as half the speed of the unencrypted ones. Therefore, we need to be careful in situations where an immediate response is required. In the future, I would like to urge my department and the company as a whole to incorporate information security features in robotics development from the design stage.

A flag bearer for security awareness in the company

In my company, information security is a company-wide concern and there are workshops for employees. However, they tend to be biased towards content that is directly related to day-to-day operations and the response to actual risks. Studying at IISEC has made me realise that security is a broad field, encompassing technology and management. I would like to be able to take the lead in raising security awareness within the company, taking into account the latest findings from lecturers, students and government agencies in the security industry.

Katsuyoshi Watari
Katsuyoshi Watari
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Enrolled in October 2017
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