Page 24 - ARUBA TODAY

A24

TECHNOLOGYSaturday 30 December 2017

How to keep your smartened-up home safe from hackers

By ANICK JESDANUN Are they getting sent over This July 25, 2017, file frame grab from video shows the Nest Cam IQ camera.
AP Technology Writer the internet, too? In some Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — More cases, sound recordings
people are getting voice- will only leave home when ket, sometimes skimping on WATCHING YOU the camera to face the
activated speakers and you trigger the device. privacy features in the pro- Online security cameras wall when you’re home.
other smart devices for You might have to speak a cess. (You can check on- such as the Cam IQ , from You might also want to turn
convenience and secu- command phrase like “OK line to see if other parents Google sibling company off the microphone, since
rity. But doing so could also Google” or press a button or consumer groups have Nest, let you check in on it could capture back-
be giving hackers a key to to get the device’s atten- identified problems.) your pets or kids when ground conversations. Or
their homes. tion. Check before buying One more catch: Voice you’re not home. They also just unplug the camera al-
Many devices from repu- to make sure a product in- commands sent over the typically store video online, together ... though you’ll
table manufacturers have cludes such safeguards. internet are typically stored so you can see whether also have to remember
safeguards built in, but Some gadgets go further. indefinitely to help manu- your housekeeper actually to reconnect it when you
those can’t guarantee Smart speakers, for in- facturers personalize their cleaned the kitchen last leave. Along similar lines,
against hacks. Gadgets stance, typically have a services (and, potentially, week. Some services rou- consider covering up the
from startups and no-name mute button to disable the advertisements). tinely send video to online front-facing camera on
brands may offer little or no microphone completely. These voice snippets may storage; others do so only your laptop with opaque
protection. Amazon says its mute func- include music or conver- when triggered by a sound tape unless you need it
Before buying one, here tion involves disconnecting sations in the background. or motion. regularly for video chats.
are some risks to assess. the circuit, so that hackers They can be sought in law- Again, reputable brands Laptops aren’t supposed
LISTENING IN cannot override the intent. suits and investigations. are likely to take security to send video unless you
Speakers with built-in mi- But there’s no easy way for Reputable brands let you seriously, but no system is activate an app that
crophones are increasing- consumers to verify manu- review and delete your perfect. needs it, but malware has
ly popular. Devices such facturer promises, such as voice history; be sure to do If you want to be very care- been known to activate
as Amazon’s Echo and Amazon’s assertion that so regularly. ful, you might want to turn the camera remotely.q
Google Home let people the Echo never transmits
check the weather or their recordings to the cloud
personal calendar with unless it’s been activated.
simple voice commands. That’s where it helps to stick
Beyond that, many smart with reputable brands, as
TVs and TV streaming de- their reputations are at
vices now have voice- stake if they’re caught in
activated functions, often a lie. Bigger companies
for playback controls and can also quickly fix security
video search. Many newer holes that crop up.
toys also come with micro- Missteps are still possi-
phones so kids can talk to ble, even with reputable
them and get canned re- brands. One of the WikiLe-
sponses. aks disclosures alleged that
Many of these devices are the CIA commandeered
constantly listening for your some Samsung smart TVs
commands; when they as listening devices even
receive them, they con- when the TV appeared to
nect to corporate servers be off. And beware of in-
to carry them out. What ternet-connected toys , as
if you’re having private manufacturers frequently
conversations at home? rush their products to mar-

Apple apologizes for secretly
slowing older iPhones

In this March 9, 2015, file photo, Apple CEO Tim Cook talks demand for newer iPhone would never — do anything see if its condition is affect-
about the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus during an Apple event in models, their suspicions fu- to intentionally shorten the ing performance.
San Francisco. eled by the fact that the life of any Apple product, Hostile customer reac-
company didn’t initially dis- or degrade the user experi- tion was swift after a re-
By RYAN NAKASHIMA necessary to avoid unex- close the slowdowns or its ence to drive customer up- port this month uncovered
Technology Writer pected shutdowns related reasons for them. grades.” the intentional slowdown
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — to battery fatigue. Apple also said it will cut the The replacement plan in speed tests. Only then
Apple apologized for se- Many customers had in- price of a battery replace- begins in late January for did Apple acknowledge
cretly slowing down older terpreted the move as a ment by $50 to $29 through anyone with an iPhone 6 that the slowdown was
iPhones, a move it said was way to for Apple to juice next year. New batteries or later that requires a new due to a fix it rolled out last
had previously cost $79 for battery. year. Shares dropped 2.5
those who didn’t purchase Apple said it will also issue percent Tuesday — also
the Apple Care mainte- an update to its operating dinged by analysts predict-
nance plan. system early next year to ing lower-than-expected
“We apologize,” the com- give users a better under- demand for the iPhone X
pany said on its website standing of the health of — and only partially recov-
. “We have never — and their battery, so they can ered by Thursday.q