Microsoft reveals new IoT platform based on custom Linux kernel

Microsoft aims to secure Internet of Things devices with its new Azure Sphere solution. — AFP Relaxnews

It's a minor revolution: Microsoft has presented its latest security-enhancing solution for Internet of Things (IoT) devices, based on a custom Linux kernel. Azure Sphere is essentially a microcontroller directly connected to the Redmond firm's cloud and managed by a new operating system based on Linux.

Azure Sphere is billed as a cloud service for securing Internet of Things devices. The platform is aimed at addressing security issues, considered particularly concerning for everyday connected devices, which are rarely updated and often viewed by experts as being left wide open to hackers.

According to Microsoft, the development of Azure Sphere paves the way for a new generation of more secure Internet of Things devices, as the microcontrollers can be installed in everything from tiny light bulbs to huge refrigerators. Watch this space ...

— AFP Relaxnews