CES

XFinity Smart Home Flaws Could Enable Burglars

A security flaw in smart home technology sold by Comcast could allow would-be burglars to disable door and window alarms using radio-jamming attacks, according to research from the firm Rapid7. 

Samsung Positions TV as Secure IoT Hub For Home

In-brief: Samsung said on Wednesday that new security features in its Tizen-based Smart TVs would protect consumer data stored on the device, encrypt communications to- and from the device and protect the TVs from malicious software.

FTC Report on Internet of Things Urges Security and Privacy Protections

In-brief: The FTC issued a report on Tuesday that provides guidance to U.S. businesses on protecting consumers’ privacy and security in the design and deployment of “Internet of Things” devices. 

At Electronics Bash, FTC Chairwoman Calls for Privacy, Security on IoT

  The Wall Street Journal reports on an address that FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez gave to the folks out at CES, the Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas. From the report: “Ramirez outlined several concerns including ubiquitous data collection, or the ability of sensors to collect sensitive personal information about consumers all the time and in real time; unexpected uses of consumer data, such using individual energy use patterns to set their homeowners’ insurance rates; and cybersecurity threats. “She also noted opportunities. ‘Whether it’s a remote valet parking assistant, which allows drivers to get out of their cars and remotely guide their empty car to a parking spot; a new fashionable bracelet that allows consumers to check their texts and see reviews of nearby restaurants; or smart glucose meters, which make glucose readings accessible both to those afflicted with diabetes and their doctors, the IoT has the potential to transform […]

Spark OS Nest

You Can Build An Open Source NEST Clone In One Day? Uh Oh!

I’ve been amazed at the herds of Johnny Come Lately’s who have glom’d onto the amazing Nest thermostat since Google purchased the company that makes it, Nest Labs, for a whopping $3.2 billion last week. Nest – and even its sister Protect smoke alarm – were hardly new, but that didn’t stop CNN from posting a ‘gee whiz’ video in the days that followed that had all the ‘we were here first’ excitement of a hand-held broadcast from the floor of CES. That – even though Nest is coming up on its third birthday and its cousin, the Protect, was released to considerable fanfare in October. The question for Google, of course, is ‘how is Nest really worth?’ I use one at my house, and I think it’s gorgeous and smart – but $3.2 billion? That’s why I was interested to check out this article over at Postscapes.com about an open source […]