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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?

7 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.

    1. Re:If you're putting a space heater on a remote... by pushing-robot · · Score: 4, Funny

      Agreed. Heaters should never be left unattended.

      Always put them on a timer, or better yet, a remote-controlled outlet you can monitor and control from anywhere.

      I have a Belkin unit that works great. Highly recommended!

      --
      How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
  2. Worst Case Scenario by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Forcing someone's DVR to record and play Jersey Shore.

  3. Re:WeMo vs. high current devices? by Scarletdown · · Score: 5, Funny

    I just visited the WeMo web pages and couldn't find any technical information about what watt or amperage limits on it are.

    I have a hard time believing that it can handle a 1500 watt heater.

    1500... Would that be the definition of a WeMowatt? (Beware the sleeping lion tonight.)

    --
    This space unintentionally left blank.
  4. Re:WeMo vs. high current devices? by sconeu · · Score: 4, Funny

    Would that be the definition of a WeMowatt? (Beware the sleeping lion tonight.)

    Bravo, sir. You win the pun of the day award. I bow before your horrendous pun, and wish I had thought of it first.

    --
    General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
  5. Re:Creating Paranormal Activities! by plover · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yes, there's probably someone out there who won't realize their appliances are online, and then these devices start doing things on their own all of a sudden. It will be ghosts, goblins, shenanigans, and lulz for all.

    One day at noon a few months ago, my wife was in our kitchen watching a TV show about paranormal activity of some sort or other. At the same time, being unaware that she had gone home for lunch, I was demonstrating my home automation setup to a co-worker by flicking the kitchen lights on and off from my phone.

    She is so cool. She immediately assumed I was playing with the home automation. The thought of it being ghosts synchronized with the TV show simply amused her.

    I married well.

    --
    John
  6. Re:Creating Paranormal Activities! by adolf · · Score: 4, Funny

    My wife's a programmer.

    All wives are programmers.

    --
    Kid-proof tablet..