IoT Security News Just Gets Worse

Users should have recourse through latent defects that is not revealed in the original manual for the product when purchased. H.P. printers is one product that loads items onto the menus that you don't need and wont allow them to be remove otherwise they advise the product may not work correctly. Why do I need to do any online purchases? why does HP say the cartridge is empty and yet the cartridge is wet with ink. A removal of the software and a new reload gave me a lot more printed pages. This is my last HP product from this useless company.

Your list is extensive, but you left out thermostats. I don't and won't have one because I don't need anyone adjusting the temperature in my house except me. It's almost as bad as trying to not be on camera when you leave your house. Now EVERYTHING is EVERYONE ELSE'S business.

This is much bigger, and has been going on for much longer, than most people know or understand. If you want the big picture - and it's scary - you might start with Neil Postman's "Technopoly," written all the way back in 1992, and maybe have a look at some of his references. Then, if that went down OK, try Evgeny Morozov's "The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom" and "To Save Everything, Click Here: The Folly of Technological Solutionism."

You can also sample lots of all this by Googling it, and Morozov's writing is easy to find.

Ultimately, the scariest thing about what's happening, in IoT and digital technology in general is that all the warnings have been there all along, right out in the open, and that says things about people and our world that... well...you'll see, if you read any of this, and if you believe it.

I like and appreciate your website. This is my first time to make a comment. (I posted a question in the box above before getting to this Comments section.)

My cable modem wireless router is provided by my cable service provider (Bright House). They assigned my password for my Security type: WPA2-Personal WiFi (Broadcom 802.11ac Network Adapet) router, and told me I didn't want to change anything so they can update my firmware.

Should I change things anyway or buy my own router or what?

EDITOR'S NOTE: If they can remotely login to your router, there's a chance that Someone Else can also do that. Some ISPs assign easily guessable passwords, which make you an easy target for hackers. If your ISP alerts you that your firmware ever needs updating, you can handle it as an exception.

Unfortunately I've had so many problems in the past getting my DSL modem/router to work with wifi extenders and ethernet-connected extenders that I don't dare fiddle with names and passwords. Otherwise something is likely to stop working, and then I'll be spending hours trying to fix it and/or talking on the telephone to a tech support person who doesn't really understand the equipment but can only go through his scripts and trouble-shooting trees. (e.g., Him: "First try turning off all your devices and your computer, wait 30 seconds, and turn them back on." Me: "I've already done that." Him: "Well, let's first try it again.") So for me the lower risk is to just leave well enough alone.

We truly need to ask ourselves this: Do we really, really, really need to have every last damned device in our personal world have some sort of connection the world wide web, or do we do it only because it is a "cool" thing to do - technology that ultimately robs us of ability to reason for ourselves, as well as or connection to the rest of humanity.

For example, GE Appliances just recently announced that many of its products will now have the capability to automatically reorder the owner's personal inventory of laundry and dishwashing detergent pods and dryer softener sheets, as well as other consumables, via the Amazon Dash service, once the inventory level has fallen below a pre-set amount. Samsung, likewise, has a few new refrigerators with built-in inside cameras that can see the contents of the refrigerator, and also reorder certain products, if programmed to do so, with out any effort on the part of the owner.

Have we become so lazy and/or brain dead these days that we can't break away from our glowing screens, to take a moment and exercise out minds and bodies, and actually check out things happening in our worlds, and interact with the rest of humanity. It's not killing anybody to give a look-see, make a list, and run over to the supermarket, seeing what's new, and even actually interacting with other persons. Some technology is very overrated!

Firstly, I want to say "Well said" to Robert A!!!

Secondly, I did actually change the username and password required to log in to my router. But wouldn't disabling "remote access" or "remote administration" prevent your ISP from performing vital firmware updates on it?

Thirdly, am I seriously deluded for believing that our Firewalls and programs called Total Internet Security can protect our routers from hackers/viruses as well as our computers?

Bob - thanks for the guidance on the router. But as for the IoT, I am quite happy for our appliances like the fridge, coffee maker, air conditioner, lights, etc to be "dumb" items (not Internet connected). And the brass keys for the doors cannot be hacked by any software. Not so sure about our new car though - it is Internet/GPS connected. I will recheck with the supplier to assess the risks of "hijacking".
I also bought a "non-smart" phone to use just for making and receiving calls and text.

artical is essential. explained nicely but it bcome simple if presented in FORMAT OF "HOW TO DO OR HOW TO WORK "

EXCUSEME IF I AM WRONG
VILAS VARTAK 77 Yrs

To Robert A: Thank you for those very insightful thoughts on the negative aspects of what technology has done to our society. We are losing our humanity.

That said,another negative part of all this is the constant worry we now have of security concerns, hackers stealing very sensitive information (as this article points out) malware of all sorts etc. We have now just learned of a very disturbing, and until I read this article, an unknown worry that requires still more action on our part to protect ourselves. I shudder to think how many people have already had their lives turned upside by identity theft or their devices taken over. Thanks to Bob for the heads up.

When I first changed to Uverse, they provided a combined router/wife with poor access. I could change my wifi signal password, but not the password to get into administrative settings. I demanded a new one.