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#security

Dabbling in Home Automation and The Internet of Things

https://beau.blog/2017/04/dabbling-in-home-automation-and-the-internet-of-things/
  • #amazon echo
  • #automatic
  • #automation
  • #caseta
  • #google home
  • #home automation
  • #ifttt
  • #ihome
  • #lifx
  • #lutron
  • #nest
  • #nest camera
  • #schlage
  • #security
  • #wink

Now that I own my own house, and some of the technologies involved are a bit more stable, I’ve gotten into the idea of home automation a bit more. Here’s a quick run down of my current configuration.

At the center of most things, I have a wink hub (first generation). I configure as much as possible through that, since it simplifies interacting with them if they’re all available in one place.

BE468CAM716.jpg

From there, I have 2 Schlage Connect deadbolts (house and garage doors), which are both programmed with the same set of user codes (has to be done manually). It’s nice to be able to control codes from within the wink app, vs using the on-pad controls.

41s8w2udgiL.jpg

To control lights, we have 3 rooms converted over to Lutron Caseta light switches (so far, I’d like to do a few more). This makes it easy to control an entire circuit (all 3 rooms are controlling either 3 or 6 bulbs, so they’d be expensive to convert using individual smart bulbs). They’re super easy to install, and you don’t need their hub thing if you have the wink, which is compatible. I also have 3 iHome Smartplugs, which plug into an outlet, and then let you plug in any standard lamp/appliance, and control it. I don’t love the Smartplugs, and have had some trouble with them dropping their connections, but when they work they’re fine.

Separately, I also have 2 LIFX bulbs, which can be controlled directly, so they are in a couple of lamps that could otherwise be controlled via Smartplugs (I got these bulbs from their Kickstarter way back).

To control all of the above, I actually have everything configured in both an Amazon Echo, and a Google Home. Redundancy FTW, and it’s fun to experiment with each platform.

Technically, also connected to the wink hub, we have some Nest Outdoor security cameras, which have been really fun to play with. I’ve even hooked up a system to automatically take snapshots, which is interesting for comparing seasonal shade profiles for gardening purposes.

Apart from those power/control/security devices, we’ve also current got an Apple TV, a Chromecast (integrates really nicely with the Google Home), and I use Automatic in my truck.

I’ve played around a bit with configuring shortcuts and “robots” (automations), but really haven’t found many that are that useful to be honest. Probably the best one is one that just turns on our kitchen light when we open the back door (which opens basically into the kitchen). I think one of the biggest problems is that I don’t have a great system for handling “presence”, which needs to take me and Erika into account. Without that, anything I automate based on my presence is likely to just be an annoyance for her if she happens to be at home when I’m not (or vice versa).

Areas that I’d be curious to look into automating would be thermostat control (long story as to why I haven’t done this already), external temperature/precipitation, combined with irrigation, and possibly window coverings.

11:30 am, April 12, 2017

Accurate XSS Detection with BurpSuite and PhantomJS

http://blog.nvisium.com/2014/01/accurate-xss-detection-with-burpsuite.html
  • #automation
  • #phantomjs
  • #security
  • #xss

Accurate XSS Detection with BurpSuite and PhantomJS

Automated XSS detection in web applications.

Saved on Delicious 1:11 pm, February 3, 2014

Have I been pwned? Check if your email has been compromised in a data breach

http://haveibeenpwned.com/
  • #email
  • #hacking
  • #password
  • #privacy
  • #security

Have I been pwned? Check if your email has been compromised in a data breach

Check if you have an account that has been compromised in a data breach

Saved on Delicious 6:47 pm, December 6, 2013

RIPS

http://sourceforge.net/projects/rips-scanner/
  • #analysis
  • #code
  • #pentest
  • #php
  • #rips
  • #scanner
  • #security
  • #staticanalysis
  • #tools

RIPS

RIPS is a static source code analyser for vulnerabilities in PHP webapplications.

Saved on Delicious 2:48 pm, February 21, 2013

OWASP

https://www.owasp.org/index.php/Main_Page
  • #crypto
  • #regularexpressions
  • #security
  • #webapps
  • #webdev

OWASP

Open Web Application Security Project. A community which openly trades ideas and techniques to ensure web applications are built securely.

Saved on Delicious 12:20 pm, February 21, 2013
There I Fixed It

There I Fixed It

The security alarm randomly went off… so we disconnected the audible part of it. Fixed.

  • #alarm
  • #fixed
  • #security
Posted on Flickr 9:38 am, July 26, 2011

Sidestep

http://chetansurpur.com/projects/sidestep/
  • #encryption
  • #macosx
  • #networking
  • #osx
  • #proxy
  • #security
  • #ssh

Sidestep

“Sidestep is an open-source application for Mac OS X that sits quietly in the background, protecting your security and privacy as you browse the web.”

Saved on Delicious 3:28 pm, November 30, 2010

evercookie – virtually irrevocable persistent cookies

http://samy.pl/evercookie/
  • #bug
  • #cookie
  • #cookies
  • #pixel
  • #privacy
  • #programming
  • #security
  • #stats
  • #tracking

evercookie – virtually irrevocable persistent cookies

evercookie is a javascript API available that produces extremely persistent cookies in a browser. Its goal is to identify a client even after they’ve removed standard cookies, Flash cookies (Local Shared Objects or LSOs), and others.

Saved on Delicious 1:16 pm, September 22, 2010

A Revised Taxonomy of Social Networking Data

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2010/08/a_taxonomy_of_s_1.html
  • #data
  • #identity
  • #privacy
  • #security
  • #socialmedia
  • #socialnetworking

A Revised Taxonomy of Social Networking Data

Looking at different types of data involved in social networking and how to secure/control it all.

Saved on Delicious 4:24 pm, August 10, 2010

Web Application Exploits and Defenses

http://jarlsberg.appspot.com/
  • #hacking
  • #programming
  • #security
  • #tutorial
  • #vulnerabilities

Web Application Exploits and Defenses

“This codelab shows how web application vulnerabilities can be exploited and how to defend against these attacks.”

Saved on Delicious 3:56 pm, May 5, 2010

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