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    All tech has flaws so the important thing is how they are handled

    Another week, one other report of tech merchandise having horrible issues with safety and privateness. This time, it is Anker’s Eufy model of related cameras, however subsequent week it will likely be one thing totally different. No wait, it is already one thing totally different in the identical week since app signing keys from Android cellphone makers have been “leaked” out. Looks like all of your stuff is flawed and simply ready to change into unsafe to make use of.Seriously. there may be not a related machine or software ever made that doesn’t have potential safety or privateness flaws in-built, simply ready for somebody to search out and exploit them. The individuals who design and construct units, in addition to the individuals who write the code that powers them aren’t magical. They are very sensible individuals who work very exhausting to verify as many potential bugs and flaws are caught earlier than a product will get launched, however they’re nonetheless folks so bugs and flaws will discover a manner.This is not the actual trigger for concern, although. Since every part below the solar is exploitable in some kind, what’s vital is what occurs after these flaws are discovered. Good firms acknowledge their duty and act accordingly.The Note 7 affair(Image credit score: Android Central)There hasn’t been a product with points that has extra phrases spent on it than the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. While not a software program flaw (most likely) it had a serious drawback that almost all of us find out about as a result of we heard about it in all places — the battery was susceptible to exploding and catching hearth. Far extra usually than different telephones.I all the time use the Note 7 because the check case when contemplating if an organization is doing the suitable factor with a problematic product. We can assume that no person at Samsung knew there was an issue that might make for the fiery crash of the Galaxy Note 7 earlier than it went on sale. In the top, it was apparent, although.Samsung’s journey to doing the suitable factor is fascinating now that it is throughout. At first, the corporate did not admit any fault. It despatched folks to assist examine, requested for faulty merchandise to look over, and let PR deal with the issue. While Samsung by no means really pointed the finger at anybody else and mentioned you are doing one thing unsuitable — the web Samsung commenter military took care of that half — it form of felt like they had been leaning that manner and had been about to say “You’re holding it wrong.”(Image credit score: iMore)Eventually, although, Samsung owned as much as the issue and recalled the telephones. It then re-released them with the very same situation, which made it look like they did not really tackle something. In the top, the Galaxy Note 7 was taken off the market, Samsung provided credit score to folks in direction of a brand new cellphone, and the corporate invested in a model new program to enhance battery security for all cell units.Whenever it comes up, I prefer to remind people who Samsung lastly did the suitable factor and extra, however it took some time to get there. That hemming and hawing, whereas vital to international gross sales and earnings, harmed Samsung’s fame. Did you understand that a whole lot of iPhone batteries catch hearth yearly? The identical goes for nearly any model or product that makes use of small-cell lithium batteries. And merchandise that use massive lithium batteries. If a excessive sufficient proportion of units caught hearth, one other firm could be in the identical scenario as Samsung was with the Note 7 — and it could have a look at how Samsung dealt with it to know the way, and the way not, to proceed.How to not do it(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)”We adamantly disagree with the accusations levied against the company concerning the security of our products. However, we understand that the recent events may have caused concern for some users. We frequently review and test our security features and encourage feedback from the broader security industry to ensure we address all credible security vulnerabilities. If a credible vulnerability is identified, we take the necessary actions to correct it. In addition, we comply with all appropriate regulatory bodies in the markets where our products are sold. Finally, we encourage users to contact our dedicated customer support team with questions.”That’s Eufy’s response to the most recent situation surrounding consumer-grade surveillance cameras. In case you did not know, it has been proven by precise examples that Eufy shops facial pictures alongside personally figuring out knowledge within the cloud with out permission. Additionally, it is pretty trivial to look at a dwell stream from any Eufy digital camera by way of an exploit similar to others which have all the time plagued shopper cameras. Oof.Notice the corporate is not denying there’s a drawback right here — it is solely “adamantly disagreeing” that there are safety points. This produces the identical end result but offers the corporate an out when (not if) it has to come clean with there being issues.It additionally makes the corporate appear like sizzling rubbish. I, in addition to numerous folks with only a tiny little bit of laptop savvy, know that there’s a difficulty and will reproduce it with out an excessive amount of trouble. The Verge did simply that to double-prove (that is a phrase now) it. Are we to consider that Eufy would not suppose storing person knowledge on distant servers with out permission, or with the ability to watch a stream from a digital camera another person owns, will not be a sound concern? Because that is what I’m studying right here.Ah nicely, the cats out the bag now… so could as nicely inform you.You can remotely begin a stream and watch @EufyOfficial cameras dwell utilizing VLC. No authentication, no encryption.Please do not ask for a PoC – I can not launch this one.Heads up @TechLinkedYT @LinusTech https://t.co/sU3FyRaELXNovember 25, 2022See moreTo be clear — the second situation will not be as a lot of an issue to the corporate as the primary. Like I discussed above, these sorts of flaws exist and ultimately somebody will discover a method to exploit them and Eufy is not alone on this regard. The firm may establish what’s unsuitable, repair it, ship out a firmware replace to all affected units, and be known as out for doing the suitable factor. Instead, this.The different situation, the place facial recognition knowledge and pictures is distributed and retained, is one other can of worms. That’s both a coding mistake or a motive to have Eufy cameras banned. I actually, actually hope it is only a coding mistake.The greatest manner is thru bug bounties(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)The largest and most crucial flaws, whether or not they be within the {hardware} house or in software program, have an effect on Apple, Google, and Microsoft. That’s as a result of these three firms management nearly all of the software program on the neatest shopper units — telephones, tablets, wearables, and computer systems.When a flaw involves mild, the large three cannot afford to take a seat again and procrastinate as a result of probably, billions of customers are in danger and there could be fairly extreme monetary repercussions. Hey, no matter it takes to make tech firms look out for our greatest pursuits, proper?One factor these three firms use is a bug bounty program. That means they may pay you for locating flaws of their merchandise.Bug bounties are the suitable method to earn cash from a software program exploit.People who discover crucial flaws have two decisions — report them to allow them to be fastened earlier than they change into an issue, or promote them to the best bidder on “the dark web” — a free time period for the a part of the web that you just entry otherwise by way of totally different software program. You most likely wouldn’t like numerous what you discover when you Google the best way to entry it, so think about your self warned.Anyhow, there are “websites” the place individuals who have a method to hack each Chromebook (simply an instance) can promote the tactic to somebody who needs to bid on it. Or the one who finds it may simply inform Google and receives a commission. One of these items is perhaps extra profitable than the opposite, however it’s additionally very unlawful and never a assure that you’ll promote it. The different is free money from Google for having some enjoyable hacking. Bug bounty packages are efficient, which is why different firms like Samsung and Meta have them, too.So what can I do?(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)There is nothing you are able to do to discover a product that may by no means have a severe safety flaw. Nada. Zero. Zilch. That unicorn would not exist.What you need to do is simply do a wee little bit of analysis earlier than you add one thing to your Amazon cart. Google can inform you about an organization’s historical past in relation to safety breaches, and extra importantly, how the corporate dealt with them in the event that they popped up. If you are not positive that an organization did the suitable factor, scroll down the outcomes till you see a safety researcher providing their loud-ass opinion about it. You’ll discover one, or a thousand.I can suggest you purchase a Samsung product. The identical goes for Apple, Google, Microsoft, OnePlus, Nvidia, AMD, Intel, and each different firm that had some product points however sorted them out the suitable manner. I’ll additionally suggest some merchandise from firms that will not deal with a difficulty the suitable manner sooner or later as a result of it simply hasn’t occurred but. In each circumstances, I’ll all the time suggest you look and say what different folks suggest. Be knowledgeable and attempt to store sensible. Hold firms accountable for the issues they’ve finished poorly and reward firms for the issues they’ve finished proper. It’s actually all we are able to do.

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