Someone made a smart vibrator, so of course it got hacked

The Internet of Things That Can Be Hacked grows daily. Lightbulbs, trucks, and fridges all have computers inside them now, and all have been hacked by someone. But at least you don’t put those inside your body.

Two years ago, someone had the good idea to put a bluetooth connection inside a vibrator, and the We-Vibe 4 Plus was born. The vibrator can connect with a smartphone app that its makers say “allows couples to keep their flame ignited – together or apart”: that is, it can be controlled remotely, while, say, making a video call.

But at the Def Con hacking conference in Las Vegas, two independent hackers from New Zealand, who go by the handles goldfisk and follower, revealed that the way the vibrator speaks with its controlling app isn’t really secure at all – making it possible to remotely seize control of the vibrator and activate it at will.

Australian census attacked by hackers

The Australian census website was shut down by what authorities said was a series of deliberate attacks from overseas hackers.Millions of Australians were prevented from taking part in the national survey on Tuesday night.The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) had boasted only hours before that its website would not crash.The prime minister assured the public that their personal information was not compromised.Every five years, everyone in Australia is required to fill out forms are compiled to provide a snapshot of the country.Two-thirds of Australians were expected to complete the census online this year, rather than on paper.

Samsung workers sickened by chemicals in factories speak up

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Samsung Electronics, the leader in the global computer chip and smartphone industries, is South Korea’s biggest company, with about 100,000 workers. An Associated Press investigation found South Korean authorities let Samsung withhold from sick workers and their families crucial information about the chemicals they are exposed to at its computer chip and display factories.A worker-safety group has documented more than 200 cases of serious illnesses including leukemia, lupus, lymphoma and multiple sclerosis among former Samsung semiconductor and LCD workers. Seventy-six have died, most in their 20s and 30s.It is extremely difficult for workers to get compensation for occupational diseases from the South Korean government, and without details on their exposure to toxins in their workplaces it is almost impossible.