Commentary From Elsewhere: Smart Hostility

      Recently I ran into an article about a hiccup with a particular Smart TV. Long story short, it broke Windows on the computer that shared the network.

      While the details were not how I would have expected this to happen, such an outcome should have been considered inevitable. Any device sharing a network can interfere with any other device sharing that network.

      This goes beyond the idea the devices are monitoring you, and sending what data they gather elsewhere. Although that is a concern too. But it’s more about just being there means it can do… whatever it wants.

      There would eventually be a situation where one device would effectively break another. Whether through malice (say being compromised by an outside party) or accident (say poorly designed system).

      Could be somewhat mitigated by segmenting the network. Have simple devices on their own segment, where they can’t reach other devices. But setting that up takes some effort, it’s so much easier to put everything on the same network. Which opens the door for them to interact with each other, for both good at bad.

      Something to be aware of, in this world filled with connected devices. Are the computer issues you’re having because something is wrong with your computer? Or because your ‘smart’ refrigerator is misbehaving?