Smart meter screw-ups The 28th Annual Chaos Communications Congress, which normally attracts between 2,500 and 3,500 participants was held last month in Berlin. At the conference, researchers Dario Carluccio and Stephan Brinkhaus revealed shocking information about screw-ups in the smart
Smart meter screw-ups
The 28th Annual Chaos Communications Congress, which normally attracts between 2,500 and 3,500 participants was held last month in Berlin. At the conference, researchers Dario Carluccio and Stephan Brinkhaus revealed shocking information about screw-ups in the smart metering system by the German firm Discovergy, which made supposedly private information freely available to anyone who wanted to pry into people’s private lives.
Contrary to claims made by Discovergy that the information they gathered was protected by a secure encrypted link, the researchers found that personal data was sent in clear text, which they were able to intercept.
They also found they could send back to Discovergy incorrect meter readings. Not only that, but the fluctuating brightness levels of a plasma-screen or LCD TVs create a unique power consumption signature which can be used to identify what you are watching as you relax on your couch — which TV show, which film, which DVD. In other words people’s private lives were exposed to the universe by their smart meter.
But even more alarming, in addition to alerting the snooper that you have a large, expensive TV system, this data can be used to tell if you are away from home, or even sleeping.
And it doesn’t end there. The researchers also discovered that a complete historical record of users’ meter usage was easily obtained from Discovergy’s servers.
It would be one thing if you were given a choice to have a smart meter in your home, but unfortunately, in today’s world profiteering trumps privacy.
Gy Hall, Kilauea
Need for testing center
As a student at Kaua’i Community College, there are a number of technology certification tests that can only be taken on O‘ahu, which is bad news for Kaua‘i.
From personal experience, I have spent most of one day traveling to and from the testing center on O‘ahu in order to take a test that lasts an hour or so. The cost to me in time and money is considerable. Some of my classmates, in fact, cannot afford the travel costs, so they don’t get certified. Without the certification, those students become disadvantaged and discarded by employers seeking qualified workers.
I understand hat the Kaua‘i population probably does not support the cost of a testing center on Kaua‘i (at KCC, for example), but I may have a solution that not only helps Kaua‘i students, but also helps to bring those students closer to the technology giant on Kaua‘i, the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), and closer to those PMRF folks inclined to hire Kaua‘i students.
Given my previous, long-time work association with and at PMRF, I know that one or more of the contractors there provide those tests to their employees, eliminating the need and the cost for travel to O‘ahu. It would be great PR for PMRF and/or one of their contractors if they opened their testing-doors (for a fee, perhaps) to Kaua‘i students needing those technology certifications.
Joe Lindo, Lawa‘i
Who is Kimo?
Anyone ever wonder if James “Kimo” Rosen is a paid contributor to The Garden Island, a regular guy who just always has something to say or some fictional character made up by some guy at The Garden Island sitting in some back office churning out letter after letter after letter?
I think it’s the latter really. Must be, gotta be, I really do think so. I mean, no can be that someone actually exists that has that much to say about anything and everything without wanting to run for public office. No can be! Not possible, I say! Owww, my aching head.
Stephen Shioi, Kapa‘a
To the Good Samaritan
Thank you for finding and returning my drivers license, which i believe I lost at Kealia lookout.
God bless you for saving me a lot of grief and paperwork.
Again, mahalo, mahalo.
Diane Baptiste, Kapa‘a
A sidewalk, please
Dear Mr. Mayor: Can you please build us a sidewalk from Koloa school to the fire station?
Then I could ride my bike to school and all my friends can, too. And all my friends in Koloa could walk or ride their skateboards or bikes all the way to the beach without getting run over by a car. Mahalo!
Nkozi Spore
2nd grade, Koloa School
Lawa‘i
