Internet Heavyweights Urge FCC To Back Off Firmware Rules

The article covers proposed FCC amendments that would limit firmware updates on wireless devices to manufacturer-authorized parties, and summarizes criticism from the IAB, Vint Cerf, and open-source advocates who warn such rules could create large populations of unsupported "zombie" devices, exacerbate security vulnerabilities in routers and IoT, and stifle innovation; commentators urge policies that require upgradeability, secure update mechanisms, and open-source or publicly maintained firmware instead.