When the Internet of Things Ate Itself

No-one was ever really sure what the Internet of Things was supposed to be but the latest pseudo-definition is the array of devices in the home which now connect to the net for whatever bizarre reasons.  The devices used for the recent attack on what someone else called the Internet of Things (i.e. Twitter, Amazon, etc) were home webcams and similar ancillary devices.  (RedOrbit:  Webcams used in major internet DDoS attack)

Hang on as it gets better since most of the devices have factory-established passwords for access and some of them are hard-coded so they cannot be changed.

Factory passwords make home devices an easy target

Hackers were able to use home devices in such a way because many have unchangeable factory settings for usernames and passwords - and experts say those made in China are particularly problematic in this respect.

- RedOrbit

There's more compound stupidity in this one than can generally be found in a Senate committee meeting when these devices were openly begging to be hacked.  Even after decades of hacking of Windows systems and others, the security on these devices was almost zero.

Since there is no way to change the passwords on at least some of those devices that background sound you may be hearing is like the Internet of Things shutting down.

But it probably won't shut down because, you know, Clinton will fix that too, right (larfs).

(Ed:  do you care if she does?)

Nope.  I've said from the start I didn't believe so her so no flies on me although I do anticipate some amusement in seeing them realize they should have been more careful in what they wished for.

It's the Internet of Things I'll cheerfully watch self-destruct since who needs a webcam to monitor a dog unless your job is so empty and meaningless you have nothing else to do and that, largely, is the driver for most of this with people not having enough to do.  The emphasis will remain on science articles since those are people with plenty to do and it doesn't appear they piddle it away on crumby toys from Apple or they get the seriously rinky dink third-party products which it seems were a large part of this hack.