Just a word of warning for all

[thatthat21]

Found this story and thought I should share it

https://it.slashdot.org/story/20/10/06/1946223/cellmate-male-chastity-gadget-hack-could-lock-users-in

[Shannon SteelSlave]

I have only stupid appliances in my house. Anything "smart" is a no sale for me. If it can receive data, it surely can send it, even if you opt out, and it can still be recording after the little indicator light goes out.
Watch out that your car isn't talking about you too.
Too bad I don't have time to create "shill" data to throw these devices off the track, you know, enough legitimate or far fetched metrics. I hope the government doesn't get scorched by the molten lava that is my life.

[bound_jenny]

I have only stupid appliances in my house. Anything "smart" is a no sale for me. If it can receive data, it surely can send it, even if you opt out, and it can still be recording after the little indicator light goes out.

Amen to that. No "smart" appliances here. My watch is just a watch. My car isn't an ersatz KITT. My fridge just keeps things cold - it can't order new groceries for me, I need to go grocery shopping once a week (with my unsmart but reliable car). My cellphone is an old Samsung flip phone I bought in 2012 (I replaced the battery a couple of years ago and it still runs well) - it's not smart, it can make texts and even take some crappy pictures, but it's not connected to the internet.

I like technology that serves me, not some fishy company hidden behind a bamboo curtain. Even if I have to use my brain instead of their servers.

My brain can't be hacked, neither by Russians, Chinese, Iranians, North Koreans or some kid in a basement somewhere trying to prove themselves.

Jenny.

[kinbaku]

But it becomes more and more difficult to oppose this.
My brother recently bought a new car so that he still has a car that does not report where he goes everywhere. I usually leave my smart phone at home so that I know I can walk around freely without anyone constantly tracking my location. But with all the cameras in the streets and shops, this too becomes difficult.
My TV, computer or things like Alexa should not respond to my voice.

[tueffy]

I am always torn apart by this topic.

On the one hand I see all the possibilities smart devices bring. And I enjoy many of them.

One the other hand my job gives me the knowledge to see all the flaws any risks this brings to your security and that of your most intimate data.
Maybe even more than most people do.

Then again I have the knowledge and tools to mitigate some of the risks and security concerns.
Or I simply excepted the fact that my data is collected anyways and I just opt in to get the benefits it provides.

Example: I have GPS always on on my phone, one reason is that I need it quite often to navigate. Another reason is that it is simply not required for google to have access to my GPS coordinates to tell where I am.
Other thing like WiFi being turned on are absolutely enough to tell where you are.

But we software devs have a responsibility to at least keep this services secure so no unauthorized access to data and/or functions is possible. Sadly this is often neglected and we can't always blame some sales guy forcing a unrealistic deadline on us that prevents proper security implementations.

[thatthat21]

Also just to keep adding to this.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/m7apnn/your-cock-is-mine-now-hacker-locks-internet-connected-chastity-cage-demands-ransom