Eufy Security had quite the upset at the start of 2023 with serious security flaws in the ‘private’ cameras. How are they doing now?

Cheap consumer camera products are always a risky proposition when it comes to privacy. Eken video doorbells show us just how bad things can get when companies don’t care.

SmartThings has been undergoing a transformation under the hood for while now. Big changes are coming to allow local automations, and much easier access to custom device handlers.

Some fixable design flaws in the WiFi standard, coupled with a bunch of implementation issues, means that virtually all WiFi devices are at risk.

A simple switch setup to handle both smart and dumb lights has been elusive, but LIFX has the answer.

Ring has been under increasing scrutiny for their commitment to privacy for a while. This new feature throws users a bone.

Did you know your smart devices can be hacked by lasers? Find out what this means to you.

For users of HomeKit in Australia and New Zealand, smart power outlet options have been pretty scarce. Now Australian electrical supplier HPM is bringing a range of smart in-wall devices through it’s parent’s ownership of smart device company Netatmo.

With only minor changes in iOS12, this year was due for some good news. While there are various things that could use some work, such as further enhancements to automation rules and expanded device capabilities, Apple’s focus this year was to push into new territory entirely as well as to deliver some quality of life improvements. 

The Lutron Aurora Smart Bulb Dimmer is a compact rotary device that attaches to the face plate of your existing wall switch. The base plate has a slot for the switch to sit in, and a metal strap to hold it on the on position, with the knob spanning into place on top.

Ring was a featured HomeKit partner at WWDC 2016. After a year nothing had eventuated, and come WWDC 2018 another slide was shown with Ring conspicuously absent. Now there are signs things may actually be happening to bring this to fruition.

The Mirai worm is arguably the most well known as the source of massive attacks in the past. Things have been quiet on that front in the recent past, but research from Palo Alto networks has uncovered a new variant of both the Mirai and Gafgyt worm families that expand their attack profile.

Smart home hubs are growing in popularity, largely through the necessity of tying dozens of disparate devices together in the home. Logitech’s offering, the Harmony Hub, is a popular choice which has been examined by security firm Tenable and found lacking.

Assuming you have adequate WiFi and Bluetooth coverage for your devices, HomeKit users have had smooth sailing for a year. However, with the release of iOS 12, multiple users have reported a plethora of issues, most notably with Bluetooth devices.

European garden products manufacturer GARDENA announced at CES 2019 that HomeKit support would be coming to the range of smart garden products (known as the GARDENA Smart System). In a refreshing move that support has already rolled out to the Gateway device that provides connectivity to the other devices in the range.

Using any connected camera products comes with an unstated element of risk, and those of us with some sense of the inherent risks of connected devices deploy them with that in mind. Even so, we tend to hope that the service provider treats our video content with the appropriate level of encryption and privacy controls.