@quixoticgeek well you would still need to apply security updates in a corporate environment like in France. You would not however, need to do so on a home refrigerator. If it was not connected to Wi-Fi, that is. If it is connected to Wi-Fi then apply security updates even if it’s behind a firewall.
Firewalls are sometimes hacked themselves to spread malware.
For a wild story listen to

https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/174/

@quixoticgeek

"And this model comes with internet connectivity too!"

"Sure, and I can leave that deactivated, right?"

"Ah ... absolutely!"

Sales staff catching on

@quixoticgeek There was a hack recently in France where many fridges in grocery stores were hacked and put into defrost mode. It was not a good situation. So yes, do not connect your fridge to the internet.

@quixoticgeek my washing machine dryer and fridge all have WiFi connectivity, all of which remains entirely disconnected. Miss me with that shit.

@quixoticgeek

"why does the fridge have an internet connection?"

So it can upload data about usage and maybe even surveill yor family and guests.

Samsung and LG prime suspects.

@quixoticgeek Everything is smart nowadays apart from the people we vote into power

@quixoticgeek This is where they go silent because they know the response to this would piss you off.

"Actually, we need to make sure your repair man can't hack into the firmware to fix stuff. If he could you could use him and not our overpriced repair people who are 'licensed' and pay us for the right to the keys. How we gonna sell the keys if someone figures out how to break in and it's not on the internet pulling updates when we plug those holes??"

@quixoticgeek In my opinion, we've gotten to a point where (generally speaking, there are exceptions like kitchenaid mixers) the consumer appliance industry has gotten to a point where spending more gets you a worse product. Spending more doesn't buy you a higher quality product, it buys you more complexity and more gimmicks that just break or it buys you wifi connectivity that they use to lock basic features behind subscriptions.

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@quixoticgeek I spy a #greed why

LG means life is good, so why worry about your intimate experiences being banked on by your tv, or refrigerator? We all die, so why worry about Planned Obsolescence?

#Capitalism #AbuseOfPower #ExcludedMiddle

@quixoticgeek 100% das!

@quixoticgeek Our smart thermostat can connect to Spotify. So if we look at it one day and say OMG it's hot as hell, immediately the thermostat will start playing AC/DC? No thanks.

@quixoticgeek sure said update won't brick half nation's worth of appliance during the manufacturer's nation's main holiday while ß-testing a new fw delivery channel, right?

@quixoticgeek

Well said!

@quixoticgeek Well, I work in a hospital when the fridge has an error it notifies the technical people. These fridges have some kind of network.

@quixoticgeek What's that old saw about people wanting smart houses, except for those who actually know about IT and won't have anything more advanced than a printer in the house (and keep an axe nearby in case it gets uppity)?

@quixoticgeek

it really pisses me off that my washing machine has a Wi-Fi signal. WTF. There is no need for that.