Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons Podcast

Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons Podcast


IoT Inventory

July 17, 2023

The Internet of Things (IoT) has added internet connections to lots of home devices. Each and every one of those devices runs software on a computer chip. Almost all software has bugs and those bugs may be exploitable by bad guys. We’re going to take another look at protecting our home networks using a simple, logical methodology. Step one: SCAN. That is, first of all, we need to understand the scope of the problem by enumerating all of the devices on your home network. I’ll explain how to do that.


In other news: Apple re-releases security update after web glitch; EV chargers are vulnerable to hacking which could have significant impacts; tax prep firms shared ‘extraordinarily sensitive’ data with Meta; Meta’s new Threads service collects tons of personal info and employs dark patterns to hook you in; France passes law giving law enforcement access to private device cameras, mics and locations; police are collecting and selling personal info, bypassing the 4th Amendment and sharing across state lines; Massachusetts weighs outright ban on selling user location data; printers and printing services may be mining your documents for data.


Article Links
  1. [MacRumors] Apple Releases Revised iOS and macOS Security Updates to Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerability and Safari Bug https://www.macrumors.com/2023/07/12/apple-releases-revised-security-updates/
  2. [WIRED] EV Charger Hacking Poses a ‘Catastrophic’ Risk https://www.wired.com/story/electric-vehicle-charging-station-hacks/
  3. [The Associated Press] 3 tax prep firms shared ‘extraordinarily sensitive’ data about taxpayers with Meta, lawmakers say https://apnews.com/article/irs-taxpayer-tax-preparation-meta-congress-9315cfca7a0942ab89f765d183fbf822
  4. [Ars Technica] How Threads’ privacy policy compares to Twitter’s (and its rivals’) https://arstechnica.com/security/2023/07/how-threads-privacy-policy-compares-to-twitters-and-its-rivals/
  5. [Yanko Design] The ‘Threads’ App is FILLED With Deceptive Dark Design Patterns – We Spotted More Than TEN https://www.yankodesign.com/2023/07/07/the-threads-app-is-filled-with-deceptive-dark-design-patterns-we-spotted-more-than-ten/
  6. [Gizmodo] France Passes New Bill Allowing Police to Remotely Activate Cameras on Citizens’ Phones https://gizmodo.com/france-bill-allows-police-access-phones-camera-gps-1850609772
  7. [Tampa Bay Times] Hillsborough, Clearwater police monitoring private security cameras https://www.tampabay.com/news/hillsborough/2023/07/10/hillsborough-clearwater-police-monitoring-private-security-cameras/
  8. [New York Daily News] NYPD seeks to grab cell phone IDs from people under arrest or in custody; push for IMEI numbers raises concerns https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-nypd-campaign-cellphone-idenfiication-numbers-controversy-20230708-yltabdlozfbppeoodxymyub3zq-story.html
  9. [The Sacramento Bee] California cops illegally share data with anti-abortion states https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article275795726.html
  10. [Engadget] Massachusetts weighs outright ban on selling user location data https://www.engadget.com/massachusetts-weighs-outright-ban-on-selling-user-location-data-191637974.html
  11. [The Washington Post] Your printing service might read your documents. Here’s what to know. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/07/10/printing-privacy-security-printed-documents/
  12. Tip of the Week: IoT Inventory https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/secure-your-network-part-1-scan/

Further Info

Table of Contents

Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.


  • 0:00:45: News preview
  • 0:03:37: Apple Releases Revised iOS and macOS Security Updates
  • 0:07:30: EV Charger Hacking Poses a ‘Catastrophic’ Risk
  • 0:13:27: 3 tax prep firms shared ‘extraordinarily sensitive’ data with Meta
  • 0:17:10: How Threads’ privacy policy compares to Twitter’s
  • 0:22:15: ‘Threads’ App is FILLED With Deceptive Dark Design Patterns
  • 0:28:53: France Passes New Bill Allowing Police to Remotely Activate Cameras on Citizens’ Phones
  • 0:31:30: Tampa Bay area police monitoring private security cameras
  • 0:35:31: NYPD seeks to grab cell phone IDs from people under arrest or in custody
  • 0:42:19: California cops illegally share data with anti-abortion states
  • 0:46:14: Massachusetts weighs outright ban on selling user location data
  • 0:49:50: Your printing service might read your documents
  • 0:56:29: Tip of the Week: IoT Inventory
  • 1:07:54: Dragon Coin promo coming soon

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