Toothbrush botnet isn't as far-fetched as it seems as there are plenty of connected devices that could get you hacked

[Redaktion]

The toothbrush botnet was one of those examples of the mainstream media fanning flames without the correct facts. However, the concept isn't entirely unrealistic. Buying any connected device, particularly those from China, has the potential to get you compromised. When are we going to learn that not everything should be connected to the internet?

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Toothbrush-botnet-isn-t-as-far-fetched-as-it-seems-as-there-are-plenty-of-connected-devices-that-could-get-you-hacked.811799.0.html

[George]

Ok, sure the device OEM's must shoulder much of the blame however I also believe that the - PRESS needs to accept some of it as well. :)

Why?

It would appear that EVERYTHING these days is not only labeled "smart" (which are rather dumb!) and "connected" no matter what they are actually connected TO (if anything!).

While this website seems to LOVE beating up Google for offloading the AI features of many of its hardware products to their 'cloud', cell phones are not the only products that much of their 'smarts' or basic 'functionality' are offloaded to the 'cloud'.

Inexpensive video cameras require $$ cloud services for detection and notifications (along with many other BASIC functions).

Many if not most inexpensive wrist worn devices (watches!) require a paired smart phone to make much if any sense out of the sensor measurements/readings from the wrist. Countless Chinese 'GPS watches' don't actually have a GPS in them (nor can they track where you are/were on a blank screen or even have a 'map') but require ether a smart phone and/or subscription to a cloud service to provide full functionality.

I could go on but I think you get the idea.

IMHO: it is up to the press to provide consumers knowledge as to what exactly a 'connected' device buys you over a non-connected one and evaluate how 'smart' a device really is on its own without a paired or cloud based subscription service.