News Dyn downgrades Mirai botnet size estimate

Still not sold on this 'Internet of Things'. Currently my home and gadgets give me a good benefit to hassle ratio - for example, I know that I only have to change the batteries in the air fresheners I have every six months. I suspect IoT could unbalance that - I'd rather not have my air fresheners requiring firmware updates that then cause them to crash, or spy on me, or both.

 

IoT by definition is always connected, so it should automatically update its firmware.

My Tado smart thermostat only require extra set of battery every year or so, slightly more often than a usual wireless thermostat. Its firmware is automatically updated without any bother.



IoT should all receive regular firmware updates, even just to plug security holes. The current problem is that we get traditional hardware manufacturers making these things, creating software with clunky GUI and never gets updated as soon as the product is out of the door.

This is the same with traditional car manufacturers. The car you buy now should receive more features, updated UI 3 years down the line, just like a Tesla.

 

We they have DRM already, may as well go the hole hog!

 

The concept of IOT is spying/subversion, is it not?

 

I actually found that more interesting that I should have! Those are the make of air conditioner I use. I always buy the cheapest refills I can find on Amazon and haven't been stung yet, though I did avoid some recently as some of the reviews said the air freshener stopped working...

Don the tin foil hat!

Joking aside, I'm actually a little bit in agreement with you. I expect that a lot more than I realise is being broadcast from my life - I just like to think that at night, when everything is powered off, I'm 'alone'. Introducing IoT may change that perception.

 

the main problem is CCTV systems and Network gateways/routers that never get updates that have hard coded username and password or authentication bypass and is very likely what taken Dyn down (still likey far less then what Dyn is saying)

IoT connected devices like lights and thermostats dont norm have a Open port to the internet (norm have to compromise the cloud service) they are less a problem