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Tuesday 21 January 2014

Cool Criminal

According to the BBC, the latest distributor of internet spam uncovered by security firm Proofpoint was ... a fridge. No, that wasn't a typo. I didn't mean to type 'henchman from Sicily', or 'spotty teenager from Alabama', or 'Mr Big of Leeds' (no offence to Sicily, Alabama or Leeds - I'm sure there are no such miscreant inhabitants in your fair homes, but it's early and they were the first places that came to mind).

Now, call me old-fashioned, but my fridge is there to keep our milk cold. It has one cable, and that carries the electricity to keep the whole thing running. It doesn't have internet access. I don't want my kitchen appliances surfing the web. But it would seem that smart tech is starting to appear in even the most basic of homewares, and a lot of it hasn't been configured with security in mind.

So, if the doorbell rings and the internet police burst in shouting and hollering and waving warrants under your nose, try not to panic. They'll be there to arrest your sofa. Or your bath. Or possibly your toothbrush. And don't feel too sad as the offending item is carted off to jail. It was clearly a wrong-un to start with.

5 comments:

  1. Hmm, I've always thought there was something a bit funny about that radiator at the end of my room... I may have to keep a close eye on it! And I wouldn't be surprised if our fridge was up to no good, it's always seemed a little shifty!

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  2. Ah, the paranoia is spreading! We'll all be crafting tinfoil hats and sneaking around in the dark soon. Mind you, who knows what the tin foil might be up to!

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  3. Oi! wot's all this about using tin foil hats? I've got the intellectchewal property rights on 'the use of tin foil lining in hats'. You may be infringing my whategermakallits.
    http://richardsritingblog.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Moving+away+from+civilisation. I also have a trade agreement with tin foil.



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  4. Oh Lord! I never intended to infringe your whategermakalits! I wonder if we could come to some arrangement - cling film just won't work the same way.

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  5. Perhaps we split the benefits of tin foil linings? I carry on with lining my hat with it ( keeps the aliens at bay and stops the RF energy of mobile fones from frying my brain ). which leaves you free to line paper carrier bags with it - I've no idea why but I am sure someone will think of a use for it. Forget the cling film by the way, I've seen through that.

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