Not in my Home!!!

[Jim Koepke]

These home helpers have not appealed to me, now they seem even more treacherous:

Over the past two years, researchers in China and the United States have begun demonstrating that they can send hidden commands that are undetectable to the human ear to Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant. Inside university labs, the researchers have been able to secretly activate the artificial intelligence systems on smartphones and smart speakers, making them dial phone numbers or open websites. In the wrong hands, the technology could be used to unlock doors, wire money or buy stuff online — simply with music playing over the radio.

A group of students from University of California, Berkeley and Georgetown University showed in 2016 that they could hide commands in white noise played over loudspeakers and through YouTube videos to get smart devices to turn on airplane mode or open a website.

This month, some of those Berkeley researchers published a research paper that went further, saying they could embed commands directly into recordings of music or spoken text. So while a human listener hears someone talking or an orchestra playing, Amazon’s Echo speaker might hear an instruction to add something to your shopping list.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/10/t...pgtype=Article

[Ken Fitzgerald]

+2

I don't want "Smart" switches, outlets, appliances or a stranger like Siri, Alexa or an Assistant doing anything for me, Thank You!

They will never make a "Smart device" smart enough to prevent hacking.

[Mel Fulks]

Interesting,but I wouldn't worry about it. Once everybody has one ....and there is no one to impress, they "too ,will pass".
I've had several demonstrated to me recently by friends. Everybody wants to be in show business.

[George Bokros]

I want none of types of devices in my house nor do I want a thermostat, door locks, garage door opener or my refrigerator on my network so it could be hacked. That is just asking for trouble. I don't even have a camera on my laptop.

[Wayne Lomman]

It's the next step in social engineering, the earlier foundations of which are already in place. Having just returned from a business trip to Sydney, I was rudely reminded just how rigidly controlled city life is. Systems like this are to control your daily behaviour, not just sell you crap you don't really want. Expect it to be rolled out in 3 years. Cheers

[Carlos Alvarez]

LOL, on another forum I was just having a conversation about paranoia and fear like this. It must suck to live that way. I'd rather enjoy life and its conveniences rather than worrying about something that doesn't actually happen. This morning our wi-fi thermostat alerted me to the fact that our downstairs AC unit was failing. Without that it may have caused more damage, and I certainly would not have been as quick to make the service appointment for same-day service. They have saved us a lot in electricity cost also. There's obviously the convenience of waking up too warm and clicking it down a degree without getting up.

The garage/shop doors being online is also so useful. From just convenience, to security. I get alerted if they are open. And a special alert if they are left open after 9pm. I can know they are closed from anywhere in the world. I also can open them for deliveries and home services when we are traveling.

Etc.

This is all more secure than old-style locks, of course.

[Carlos Alvarez]

I should add that Alexa/Google devices have no place in our home; they simply don't do anything useful. I have "hey Siri" turned off on the phone, but use it on my Watch. It only activates if you specifically raise the Watch to your face.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Carlos,

Don't mistake caution for fear. I have no desire to have something like Siri or Alexa. I have no desire to have a smart device controlling any of our appliances. We have a carport and while my shop has a garage door, it's manual, gets opened maybe once a year and I have some additional locks on it. I don't want it to have an opener and it's nothing caused by fear.

I'll say it again...anything Smart can be hacked.

I even turn off our wireless router when we are out of town.

[Carlos Alvarez]

Anything can be hacked.

[Wayne Lomman]

Anything can be hacked and this is OK? Not until I'm wearing a wooden overcoat. Like Ken said, do not mistake caution for fear. As regards social engineering, which is what we are actually talking about, have a read of this (its from ABC Australia, unrelated to any other ABC). Cheers

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-3...tizens/9596204

[Mark Blatter]

Anything can be hacked and this is OK? Not until I'm wearing a wooden overcoat. Like Ken said, do not mistake caution for fear. As regards social engineering, which is what we are actually talking about, have a read of this (its from ABC Australia, unrelated to any other ABC). Cheers

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-3...tizens/9596204

Well, that is an interesting, and terrifying article Wayne. They have taken 1984 and Big Brother to the next step.

As for all the 'smart' devices, I don't own any of them. I can see how a few of the dumber smart devices would be handy. I worked in cash handling for 20 years and have a great deal experience with security, video and access control systems. I promise you that none of these in today's world are 'smart' in that they are are connected to the internet. I view my own home as more important (to me) than a Brink's vault. There are video systems that are internet based, but I am not aware of any security systems that can accessed over the internet.

Perhaps my foil hat is a little too tight, but so much of the touted advantages are of little interest to me. And I have very limited trust in my fellow man...or woman. Too many scams and scam artists just looking for the easy mark, the easy way in. And if you think the NSA and all the other three letter agencies, are not interested in monitoring everything possible, then you might want to read up and reconsider. There is a reason why the NSA has the largest data storage facility in the world about 45 miles south of where I live.

Just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you. Time to go. The voices in my head are telling me to say goodnight.

[Carlos Alvarez]

do not mistake caution for fear

That's a good point. Pretty much everything in this thread is unfounded fear. I understand that most people don't know how this stuff works, but that's no reason to jump right into assuming the worst and being paranoid.

The AC is fixed, thanks smart thermostat. $107 instead of much more if it didn't get fixed promptly.

[Mike Cutler]

All technology has it's good points and bad. It depends on how it's used, and or abused, but to dispel it completely is not good either. It has it's place.
To the adult "physically and mentally" challenged, and aged parents, these devices can be very beneficial and enhance their quality of life. I have a co worker whose parents are quite a bit older. These smart devices have meant that they are able to stay in their own home, instead of a facility, as he and siblings can monitor them through the day. Yes, it's kind of like "spying" on your parents, but it's pretty nice to know that if they forget to turn off the stove, or coffee pot, or even turn up the heat in the winter time, he can do it from his phone. They can call him for help from any room in the house with either Alexa, or Siri.
The math says that the odds of someone "hacking" your home smart devices is pretty remote. In a city or a more urban area where houses are clustered together more closely, it would be easier. In a rural environment, not so easy and there isn't much in it for someone. To a large extent though, you control the gateway. The harder you make it for someone, the less attractive it will be, an they'll move on to an easier target. Just like any home security system or strategy. The security settings are "your fence". You'll never build a fence that someone can't get over, you just want to make it too much of a hassle to deal with for the other 99.9999%
In the 60's and 70's everyone thought that the "guvment " would be targeting us with subliminal messages through the TV to control us. the tech was there, but what is in for them?
When I got out of the Navy a zillion years ago, I held two top secret clearances. I was given a list of countries I could never visit, and told that they would be monitoring me from time to time. I wasn't being paranoid. They told me they would do it, and I believed them. It didn't stop me from getting on with my life.
I just don't worry too much about someone hacking my smart TV. Maybe I'm to cavalier.

Now, when they develop a smart device that cleans the cat litter box, I'm first in line for that thing.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Now, when they develop a smart device that cleans the cat litter box, I'm first in line for that thing.

There is a "Robo Litter Box" advertised on television.

[Tom Stenzel]

I want none of types of devices in my house nor do I want a thermostat, door locks, garage door opener or my refrigerator on my network so it could be hacked. That is just asking for trouble. I don't even have a camera on my laptop.

My laptop has a camera and a microphone like most nowadays. I disabled both in Device Manager (win 8.1). The microphone still can be accessed. So when you say no, that means maybe.
-Tom