One of the main concerns about the so-called Internet of Things is security, and the recent findings of researchers at Princeton won't help ease the anxiety. Researchers at the university's Center for Information Technology Policy (CITP) took a close look at how information is transmitted between the connected devices in your home and the cloud to gauge just how secure they really are. The list of devices researched included the Belkin WeMo Switch, Nest Thermostat, Ubi Smart Speaker, Sharx Security Camera, PixStar Digital Photoframe and a SmartThings Hub. As it turns out, a few gadgets the group examined sent information out in the open.
First, the group found that Nest thermostats were leaking customer zip codes over the internet out in the open. In other words, general user location information and the coordinates of the company's weather stations were not being locked down whatsoever. Thankfully, Nest quickly patched the flaw when CITP notified them of the issue. Of course, the thermostats also recently hit a software snag that sent them offline for a number of customers.
