IOT enabled Engineers

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  • #89676
    Lawrence
    Participant

    Apparently the company that manufactures the webcam that was used /hijacked in part to cause last weeks internet problems in the states is doing a recall on its products.
    That’s great if you can box it up and send it back.
    But what if it’s a large appliance ? It would have to be modified in the field which got me thinking –
    How many of us would know what do with an IOT appliance?
    How many of us have ever had any form of training on IOT appliances ?

    #442105
    Martin
    Participant

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    Lawrence wrote:But what if it’s a large appliance ? It would have to be modified in the field which got me thinking –
    How many of us would know what do with an IOT appliance?

    But they are software driven so the software can be corrected/re-written and downloaded to the appliance in the form of a remote Internet update. Meanwhile just disconnect it from the web or ISP cloud until the undate is created. You might also do a factory software reset if necessary.

    #442106
    kwatt
    Keymaster

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    Not that simple I’m afraid Martin as Samsung customers have already found out with some of theirs, they cannot have the firmware updated.

    So none of your suggestions will work in such cases or if it’s pwned as it’s called either.

    Only way is to go in and fix it manually.

    K.

    #442107
    Lawrence
    Participant

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    Martin wrote:

    But they are software driven so the software can be corrected/re-written and downloaded to the appliance in the form of a remote Internet update.
    You would like to think so Martin ,this is a direct quote from BBC article

    “Can the IoT-based attacks be stopped?
    Not easily. Many of the devices being targeted are hard to update and the passwords on some, according to one report, are hard-coded which means they cannot be changed.
    There is also the difficulty of identifying whether you are using a vulnerable product. A lot of IoT devices are built from components sourced from lots of different places. Finding out what software is running on them can be frustrating.
    Also, even if recalls and updates are massively successful there will still be plenty of unpatched devices available for malicious hackers to use. Some manufacturers of cheaper devices have refused to issue updates meaning there is a ready population of vulnerable gadgets available.”

    Another point what happens when they are out of warranty or if the code developer goes bust.

    #442108
    kwatt
    Keymaster

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    Lawrence wrote:Another point what happens when they are out of warranty or if the code developer goes bust.

    You be stuffed is what!

    K.

    #442109
    Lawrence
    Participant

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    What like this you mean
    “Since late 2014, several owners of internet-connected Samsung refrigerators started to complain that they could not log in to their Google Calendars accounts after Google had discontinued the calendar API earlier in the year and Samsung failed to push a software update for the refrigerator.”

    #442110
    kwatt
    Keymaster

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    Yup.

    Supposedly a tech company as well or, so you’d be led to believe.

    K.

    #442111
    Martin
    Participant

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    Perhaps the best cure for these devices is to unplug the Ethernet connector?

    #442112
    kwatt
    Keymaster

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    Most are WiFi only.

    If it’s a default network SSID that’s open and it finds a DHCP server to give it an address it’ll just reconnect. Unlikely for most that know much of anything but, there’s a heap of open networks out there.

    But there again, why would someone that’s paid £100’s more want to disconnect it, after all that’s what they paid to get?

    K.

    #442113
    SAMURI
    Participant

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    I had a customer and Virgin had changed the Wi fi router.

    The fridge would not reset to the new router code so the only way the customer could have her fridge working was with an unlocked internet connection.

    I advised her this was not a good idea as it left her open to having her computer and information hacked.

    She allowed me to use her computer to connect via the Web to her router and I changed the code on her router to the old setting she had for the fridge as you could not change the fridge to the new code.

    She said she wished she had not bought it now and only her ten year old daughter knew how to use it.

    Bob

    #442114
    reaper
    Participant

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    Good grief I had to Google IOT fridge to find out what the fuss was all about. It seems the only advantage is that it will ring you on your phone to tell you that something has gone off – but you still have to open the door to chuck it away. Oh and now they are being hacked-what a shame. Over complicated nonsense, manufacturers desperate for added value.But it seems there are plenty of mugs who will buy this sort of thing. Dont get me started on Dysons £299 hair drier- he’s trying to peddle it on TV again.

    #442115
    Martin
    Participant

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    reaper wrote:Good grief I had to Google IOT fridge to find out what the fuss was all about. It seems the only advantage is that it will ring you on your phone to tell you that something has gone off

    Oh ye of little faith. Remember only 20 yrs ago the mobile phone could only make phone calls. Today everyone and his dog’s life couldn’t exist without a 4G phone. Our life ceases when our phone is nicked. Technology today (apparently) centres around our American fridge freezers (yes me too, I never realised). They have got in-built CCTV cameras so you can be stuck in Lidl in Leytonstone and access your fridge to see if you need to buy milk. Or leave a noticeboard message to the little shite you left at home not to touch the cream cakes within. In less than 5 yrs our lives won’t be bearable unless we can turn up the heating, check on the washing machines cycle progress, tell the courier to take the parcel to your neighbours, check that your van is still where you left it and record the complete Champions League matches whilst you’re taking time out in the Maldives.

    #442116
    kwatt
    Keymaster

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    Great if it works. In marketing claptrap anyway.

    Who’s going to fix it when it doesn’t and, there are times it will not?

    K.

    #442117
    SAMURI
    Participant

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    At least you can Google on the screen to see the list of complaints about Samsung fridge freezers when it stops working.

    That’s assuming you can connect to the internet on it.

    And when you are on holiday you can see if it has stopped working and then worry all the time you are away or come back early.

    Then when you get back home you may just find its working ok but the internet has gone down.

    I can remember when LG started fitting TV screens in the door and having to write a fridge off because the TVs screen was cracked and a replacement was obsolete this was when it was a showroom model in CURRYS and had not even been sold.

    Bob

    #442118
    funkyboogy
    Participant

    Re: IOT enabled Engineers

    most customers with common sense put a 30 inch flat screen on top

    have it connected or use netflix – google chrome cast etc

    or alternatively — just sit and eat there freekn tea without being connected to the madness lol

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