Dumber is Better: Video Door Bells

Consumer Reports Study Shows Many 'Smart' Doorbells Are Dumb, Lack Basic Security

(Mis)Uses of Technology

from the dumber-is-better dept

Mon, Aug 24th 2020 3:35pm — Karl Bode

"Like most internet of broken things products, we've noted how "smart" devices quite often aren't all that smart. More than a few times we've written about smart lock consumers getting locked out of their own homes without much recourse. Other times we've noted how the devices simply aren't that secure, with one study finding that 12 of 16 smart locks they tested could be relatively easily hacked thanks to flimsy security standards, something that's the primary feature of many internet of broken things devices.
"Smart" doorbells aren't much better.

A new study by Consumer Reports studied 24 different popular smart doorbell brands, and found substantial security problems with at least five of the models. Many of these flaws exposed user account information, WiFi network information, or, even in some cases, user passwords. Consumer Reports avoids getting too specific as to avoid advertising the flaws while vendors try to fix them: . . . READ MORE > https://www.techdirt.com/
". . . Consumer Reports’ Digital Lab evaluates digital products and services for how well they protect consumers’ data privacy and security. The most critical findings from our tests of video doorbells concern security vulnerabilities we discovered in five models from four brands that can expose user data like email addresses and account passwords. The brands are:

• Eufy
• GoControl
• LaView
• Netvue

You can skip ahead to read more on our security vulnerability findings.
Our tests also revealed that most video doorbells lack two-factor authentication, a widely used security feature that sends users a temporary, onetime passcode typically via text message, email, phone, or mobile app to use in addition to their password for logging into their accounts. With this feature enabled, a hacker can’t log in to your video doorbell account even if they have your password.
In fact, barely a quarter of the brands we tested have two-factor authentication. The only ones that have it are Arlo, August, Google Nest, Ring, and SimpliSafe.
In addition, many video doorbell manufacturers fail to minimize the amount of data they collect from users and don’t offer consumers an easy way to request a copy of their data and/or delete it.

Source: https://www.consumerreports.org/video-doorbells/
 

WHOA! Wapo > The Post Most: The subservience and ambition of Mike Pence

(Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) Mike Pence hopes four years of subservience to Trump will lift his political future The vice president has transformed himself into a loyal student and servant of Trump — binding his political ambitions to a mercurial and capricious boss now at risk of losing in November. By Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey and Philip Rucker ●  Read more »

HERE IN MARICOPA COUNTY > Ozone High Pollution Advisory issued for Monday and Tuesday, August 24 and 25, 2020

AGAIN ?AGAIN !!! It's dangerous and unhealthy to live here

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Ozone High Pollution Advisory for Monday and Tuesday, August 24 and 25, 2020. WOOD BURNING RESTRICTIONS AVOID LEAF BLOWING Prohibited for government entities AVOID USING  OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES

Take Action

Drive as little as possible: carpool, use public transit, or telecommute. For information on transportation alternatives, visit Valley Metro: www.ShareTheRide.com  Fuel your vehicle after dark or during cooler evening hours. Use low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers. Delay big painting projects until high-pollution advisories have passed. Make sure containers of household cleaners, garage and yard chemicals and other solvents are sealed properly to prevent vapors from evaporating into the air. Eliminate wood burning in fireplaces, stoves, chimineas, and outdoor fire pits. Avoid using leaf blowers. Use a rake or broom to keep debris out of the road and away from storm drains, ditches, and streams. Conserve electricity.

Transportation Coordinators Due to unhealthy levels of ozone, Maricopa County Air Quality Department requests all Transportation Coordinators to email employees and activate your HPA plans. The department encourages the use of alternative modes of transportation, especially when pollution levels are expected to be on the rise. Remind employees that they are encouraged to make more clean air. By taking small, simple steps every day, we can all make a difference. Additional tips on how to reduce air pollution can be found at www.CleanAirMakeMore.com.   Ozone: Ground level ozone is formed by a chemical reaction that needs heat from sunlight, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds [VOCs] to form. The months of April through September make up our Valley’s longer-than-normal "ozone season." "High Pollution Advisory" or "HPA" means the highest concentration of pollution may exceed the federal health standard. Active children, adults and people with lung disease such as asthma should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. Maricopa County employers enlisted in the Travel Reduction Program are asked to activate their HPA plans on high pollution advisory days.

From WhoWhatWhy > The Pathology of Government Secrecy / Plus: (Some) Editors’ Picks

Must Reads For August 21, 2020

Study Predicts Millions of Unsellable Homes Could Upend Market (Mili)The author writes, “Millions of American homes could become unsellable — or could be sold at significant losses to their senior-citizen owners — between now and 2040, according to new research from the University of Arizona. The study predicts that many baby boomers and members of Generation X will struggle to sell their homes as they become empty nesters and singles. The problem is that millions of millennials and members of Generation Z may not be able to afford those homes, or they may not want them, opting for smaller homes in walkable communities instead of distant suburbs.”

The Pathology of Government Secrecy AUGUST 21, 2020 | JEFF SCHECHTMAN A case study of author Nicholson Baker’s obsession with trying to understand the dark side of Cold War history, while it’s shrouded in denials of FOIA requests

 

FDI in Turbulent Times - SFP Insider

EXCERPTS TAKEN FROM

Site & Facility Planning Insider Friday, August 21st, 2020   Pandemic Adds Challenges to Trade Wars

The COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent supply chain disruptions have caused companies to rethink their location decisions. The trade war with China was already impacting company supply chains prior to the global pandemic. U.S. tariffs on supplies from China and China’s retaliatory measures are adding to manufacturers’ costs. By using foreign-trade zones, some companies were able to increase the time to pay those tariffs. However, many U.S. companies that initially moved operations to China for its low-cost wages, which are also rising, are now considering other Asian locations (although wages are going up there too) or reshoring to North America. The uncertainty of tariffs was also affecting FDI from Europe over the past year, especially when it comes to the automotive industry, and those woes have been compounded by the pandemic. Travel and visa restrictions have been put in place to control the spread of the virus, making it difficult for European and other foreign companies to initiate or complete their U.S. site selection efforts. All of these challenges are slowing down the location decision process. Consultants are advising clients to do their modeling around the basic site selection factors, i.e., logistics, workforce, available sites, etc., and then plug in the variables around uncertainties and address those as they change. And foreign companies considering a U.S. destination will need to navigate the incentives process, which may be quite different from what they have at home.

A Heightened Focus on Reshoring Brian Gallagher, Vice President, Corporate Development, Graycor Southern As costs and risks of lengthy supply chains become even more apparent in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, more U.S. companies may consider reshoring their operations to the Americas. Foreign Trade Zones: A Key Tool to Navigating Tariffs Curtis Spencer, President, IMS Worldwide, Inc. Area Development interviewed Curtis Spencer, President, IMS Worldwide, Inc., at our Houston Consultants Forum. Our discussion covered how companies can leverage foreign trade zones to mitigate the impact of tariffs on their bottom line.

TOXIC CONTAMINATED DANGEROUS > PRESS RELEASE | High Pollution Advisory issued for ozone effective August 25, 2020 in the Phoenix area

******************************************

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is issuing a High Pollution Advisory (HPA) for ozone effective August 25, 2020, in the Phoenix area. ADEQ recommends that people limit outdoor activity while the HPA is in effect, especially children and adults with respiratory problems. CONTACTS Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) | Provides hourly forecasts for air quality in certain areas of the state and issues HPAs or HWs when the appropriate conditions exist. View Website > Public Information Officer | 602-771-2215 (office) | 602-540-8072 (cell) | Email > Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD) | Regulatory agency for air quality in Maricopa County. View Website > Bob Huhn, Public Information Officer | 602-506-6713 (office) | 602-526-7307 (cell) | Email > BACKGROUND High Pollution Advisory (HPA) | Notifies the public that the level of an air pollutant is forecast to exceed the federal health standard. Health Watch (HW) | Notifies the public that the level of an air pollutant is forecast to approach the federal health standard. Particulate Matter Fact Sheet | View > Ozone Fact Sheet | View > FIND THE FORECAST ADEQ Hourly Air Quality Forecast | View > Text or Email Alerts | Subscribe >  Ground level ozone forms when two types of pollutants—volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)—react in sunlight. These pollutants come primarily from automobiles, but also from other sources including industries, power plants, and products, such as solvents and paints. Generally, the highest levels of ozone occur in the afternoon Health Impacts People most vulnerable to the impacts of air pollution include children, older adults, adults exercising outdoors, people with heart or lung disease and those suffering from asthma and bronchitis. Exposure can increase the number and severity of asthma attacks, cause or aggravate bronchitis or other lung disease and reduce the body’s ability to fight infection. Symptoms may include itchy eyes, nose, and throat, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain and upper respiratory issues

PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS: Canvassing, declaring, and adopting the resultsheld on August 4, 2020. (Citywide)

ITEM 5-f  on today's Mesa City Council Regular Meeting

Canvassing, declaring, and adopting the results of the Primary Election held on August 4, 2020.

(Citywide) 

File #:

20-0823

Type:

Resolution

Status:

Agenda Ready

In control:

City Council

On agenda:

8/24/2020

Title:

Canvassing, declaring, and adopting the results of the Primary Election held on August 4, 2020. (Citywide)

Attachments:

1. Resolution and Results Reports

__________________________________________________________________________________
The number of votes cast for each candidate are as follows:  
MAYOR    
VERL FARNSWORTH 30,452   
JOHN GILES 60,473  

COUNCILMEMBER - DISTRICT 1    
MARK FREEMAN 10,265   
DANNY RAY 4,709     

COUNCILMEMBER - DISTRICT 2    
JULIE SPILSBURY 8,486   
JEREMY WHITTAKER 6,826     

COUNCILMEMBER - DISTRICT 3     
FRANCISCO HEREDIA 10,499
_________________________________________________________________________________
WHEREAS, at the Primary Election,
JOHN GILES received a number of votes constituting a majority of all of the valid ballots cast for the office of Mayor and is hereby issued a certificate of election; and
MARK FREEMAN received a number of votes constituting a majority of all of the valid ballots cast for the office of Councilmember – District 1 and is hereby issued a certificate of election; and
JULIE SPILSBURY received a number of votes constituting a majority of all of the valid ballots cast for the office of Councilmember – District 2 and is hereby issued a certificate of election; and
FRANCISCO HEREDIA received a number of votes constituting a majority of all of the valid ballots cast for the office of Councilmember – District 3 and is hereby issued a certificate of election.  
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MESA, ARIZONA, AS FOLLOWS:  
Section 1.  That JOHN GILES is declared to be elected to the office of Mayor whose term shall commence on or after the first Monday in January 2021 and shall be for a period of four (4) years or until a successor is elected and qualified.  
Section 2. That MARK FREEMAN is declared to be elected to the office of Councilmember– District 1 whose term shall commence on or after the first Monday in January 2021 and shall be for a period of four (4) years or until a successor is elected and qualified.  
Section 3. That JULIE SPILSBURY is declared to be elected to the office of Councilmember– District 2 whose term shall commence on or after the first Monday in January 2021 and shall be for a period of four (4) years or until a successor is elected and qualified.  
Section 4. That FRANCISCO HEREDIA is declared to be elected to the office of Councilmember – District 3 whose term shall commence on or after the first Monday in January 2021 and shall be for a period of four (4) years or until a successor is elected and qualified.  
Section 5. That this Resolution shall be deemed the City of Mesa’s official canvass, and the declaring and adopting of results of the Primary Election held the 4th day of August 2020 and that the following information required by A.R.S. § 16-646(A), is set forth herein and attached as Exhibit A:
a. Number of ballots cast in each precinct and in Mesa. 
b. Number rejected in each precinct and in Mesa. 
c. Titles of the offices voted for and the name of each person voted for to fill the offices. 
d. Number of votes by precincts and Mesa received by each candidate. 
e. Number of ballots cast and the number of active registered voters Mesa and each Council District for which a candidate may be elected.   

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona, this 24th day of August, 2020.      
APPROVED:        ________     JOHN GILES, MAYOR
ATTEST:  
_________DEE ANN MICKELSEN, CITY CLERK  
_________________________________________________________________________________

SEE PAGES 1 -3 FOR RESULTS BY PRECINCT
SEE PAGES 3-6  FOR RESULTS BY DISTRICT
Precincts Reported: 84 of 84 (100.00%)
Registered Voters: 97,478 of 278,869 (34.95%)
Ballots Cast: 97,478

PAGE 7-
Mesa-Mayor (Vote for  1)   **** -
Insufficient Turnout to Protect Voter Privacy
PAGE 19-
Mesa Dist 1-Councilmember (Vote for  1)   **** -
Insufficient Turnout to Protect Voter Privacy
PAGE 23
Mesa Dist 2-Councilmember (Vote for  1)   **** -
Insufficient Turnout to Protect Voter Privacy

See PAGE 37
Early Voting Rejections By City Summary
Aug 4 2020 Primary Election
MESA SUMMARY