Anyone into home automation?

[NW-Bound]

This example is only about collecting data, but I think a hacker could have fun with gaining control of the connected device too.

Vibrator Maker To Pay Millions Over Claims It Secretly Tracked Use : The Two-Way : NPR

I looked and it's the same story as I saw and reported earlier. Would not be fun for the hackers if they could not also hack the inside room monitor video camera. Not something I would want to watch but these guys are sick.

Not an expert in this, but even if the device they break in has limited function, then theoretically they can use it as a bridge to gain access to other stuff.

Example: I have two WiFi cameras for rat surveillance up in the attic. I set them up to store the recorded video into my file server using FTP. Can hackers use the same path not to write, but to read other files I have on the server?

 

[explanade]

Neighbor had some kind of "smartkey" remote controllable electronic doorlock on their house. And today they couldn't get in because the battery had died! Fortunately I still had an old key that I unlocked their back door.

Yup.....

There are designs which fit over the existing lock, instead of replacing it. That way you can use electronic or the key.

https://candyhouse.co

 

[explanade]

I looked and it's the same story as I saw and reported earlier. Would not be fun for the hackers if they could not also hack the inside room monitor video camera. Not something I would want to watch but these guys are sick.

Not an expert in this, but even if the device they break in has limited function, then theoretically they can use it as a bridge to gain access to other stuff.

Example: I have two WiFi cameras for rat surveillance up in the attic. I set them up to store the recorded video into my file server using FTP. Can hackers use the same path not to write, but to read other files I have on the server?

That could be possible.

But if that file server is running on one of your computers, which contains your personal finance info. and other personal data, can it take control of it, install malware which will gain admin privileges and commandeer it?

Maybe, but they can already do that now, by getting people to click on links to provide their passwords or "drive-by" where you go to certain sites and it installs malware.

They say don't enable file sharing but you don't hear so much about infection through the home network so much as some external vector.

A more likely thing, one that is becoming common, are ransomware, which gets into the system and encrypts your data and demands payment to unlock.

Hospital systems have been caught by these and they've been paying.

 

[NW-Bound]

The file server I spoke of is a small NAS that is on 24/7. It is made by Iomega. This NAS is not accessible from the outside world, or so I hope (I set it up that way).

A while back I was looking at the report from my router for something. Saw that someone from the outside trying to get in. I did a reverse IP look up, and found it came from Iomega. WTH? Did not follow up further.

 

[larry]

One thing neat about home automation is that the new LED lightbulbs are being built with dusk to dawn sensors and motion sensors as well. Makes it very easy to convert old outdoor lightinng fixtures to efficient, security providing products for just the price of a light bulb. And a lightbulb that will usually pay for itself in the 1st year of use if not sooner. Tons of them on Ebay.

 

[Jack_Pine]

Neighbor had some kind of "smartkey" remote controllable electronic doorlock on their house. And today they couldn't get in because the battery had died! Fortunately I still had an old key that I unlocked their back door.

Yup.....

That's just bad implementation and planning.

 

[neihn]

"Mirai, a piece of malware, works by scanning the internet for those devices that still have factory default or static username and password combinations."

First thing one should do with these devices is to change the default factory password - I know that lot of people don't bother to do that, well, they should not go near those devices.