Everyone’s talking about the internet of things. They talk about smart lightbulbs programmed to glow purple when it rains, and smoke detectors that do email alerts, and routers that network our houses. But there’s one thing they’re not talking about, and that could be a problem. No one is asking whether these devices should also be programmed to die when they get old. It’s a question posed by Dan Geer, a well-respected security researcher who also serves as chief security officer at the Central Intelligence Agency’s venture firm, In-Q-Tel. Geer sees an emerging danger in the growing number of internet-connected devices whose software hasn’t been updated in a while, making them vulnerable to hackers. “They have sentient opponents,” he says. “Given that, an internet of things that is immortal will eventually be taken over.” This problem will only get worse as the internet of things grows.