Hackers Make the First-Ever Ransomware for Smart Thermostats
I don&#x27;t think there is much to say here that hasn&#x27;t already been said about IoT security - like many commentors mentioned before, we&#x27;re going to be going through a very rough period for some time where IoT devices just aren&#x27;t up to par with expected security procedures, and consumer awareness campaigns will be necessary to educate less savvy consumers about the potential dangers of IoT devices at the moment.<p>In particular, start ups trying to capitalized on IoT in niche products will need excess scrutiny in order to ensure they&#x27;re not trying to run fly-by-night operations just to make a quick buck. Chinese IoT knock-offs will also need to be monitored carefully as well.<p>What&#x27;s most frightening to me on something like this is even tech-savvy users are fairly screwed as your ability to interact with the device and try to remove or clear the ransomware manually will be restricted by the same methods meant to prevent you from tampering with the device in the first place. This likely can leave people without any recourse to ranson scenarios like the thermostat being hijacked, and the end-user will have no option except to remove the device.<p>Hopefully either a consumer or business alliance crops up with suggested practices for IoT devices, including remediation methods for these very scenarios. I think it&#x27;s preposterous for companies to assume that their devices will never be compromised, and if they&#x27;re going to lock down the devices, they need to provide a guaranteed way to reset the device; a bit of set up work certainly beats paying to make sure your fridge still works tomorrow. With IoT creeping out as the next &quot;must include&quot; feature for manufacturers, this sort of consumer protection is going to be essential.