Security News > 2022 > October > Don’t lose control of your smart thermostat this winter

Smart thermostats present a rare chance to tackle energy conservation and cost reduction at the same time - but users must ensure they have ultimate control of the device.

If smart thermostats reach every home with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning by 2026, annual space heating and cooling energy consumption could be cut by 45 terawatt-hours or 9%. Such a saving would be the equivalent of the total energy used by the state of Mississippi in 2020.

A few years ago, an American couple utilized compromised passwords in their Nest devices and suffered the consequences: Hackers increased the smart thermostat to sweltering temperatures, gained access to the smart camera and spoke to the couple.

Second, smart energy systems installed by power companies have proven to take control away from the user in certain cases.

In Colorado, more than 20,000 customers were locked out of their smart thermostats during an "Energy emergency".

My advice? Don't lose control and enjoy the energy conservation benefits by installing your own smart thermostat.

News URL

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/10/12/smart-thermostats-control/