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Turning the Belkin WeMo Into a Deathtrap

Posted by timothy on from the they-keep-poltergeisting-me! dept.

Okian Warrior writes "As a followup to yesterday's article detailing 50 Million Potentially Vulnerable To UPnP Flaws, this video shows getting root access on a Belkin WeMo remote controlled wifi outlet. As the discussion notes, remotely turning someone's lamp on or off is not a big deal, but controlling a [dry] coffeepot or space heater might be dangerous. The attached discussion also points out that rapidly cycling something with a large inrush current (such as a motor) could damage the unit and possibly cause a fire." In the style of Bruce Schneier's movie-plot threat scenarios, what's the most nefarious use you can anticipate such remote outlet control being used for?

1 of 146 comments (clear)

  1. If you're putting a space heater on a remote... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Please, please, learn some common sense.

    Never have a heater like that unattended, it's just not safe.