What happens if you unknowingly connect a malicious USB drive and it starts infecting your entire office network? Instead of having a panic attack and working all night to find a fix, you can just put on a mixed reality headset like Microsoft's HoloLens and point.
Stopping hackers, one air tap at a time.
How does the HoloLens and a simple gesture stop a complex attack? Paul Marks, writing for New Scientist, explains:
Your dashing correspondent—entirely untrained in control system security—dons an augmented reality visor and gets to work. The headset shows a virtual panel floating above the hacked device which offers me information on the attack, the IP address of the device and a "restore" option. I punch it with my index finger and the worm is wiped.
This works through the beauty of mixed reality and its many capabilities. Kevin Jones, head of cybersecurity research at the Airbus Research Centre, created a system that scans for abnormalities in the production line and behavioral changes in the machinery. When the system detects a problem, it alerts a security team to fix it who can then work with HoloLens-wearing staff near the threat to locate it quickly. Because the location can be identified remotely, the HoloLens can guide the human wearing it to the compromised server and choose an on-screen resolution with a simple air tap.
Should this system continue to prove itself effective at quickly stopping threats, Airbus intends to extend it to other businesses as well. Since Airbus design their mixed reality security system in direct response to attacks like the Stuxnet virus, it may require frequent updates in order to resolve all issues expediently. Nevertheless, it's a great start in fighting malicious hacks that will likely continue to grow alongside much of this amazing technology.
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Cover image by RAEVSKY/Shutterstock
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