Free Republic

22,000 people lost control of temperatures in their homes for hours Tuesday.. DENVER — During the dog days of summer, it's important to keep your home cool. But when thousands of Xcel customers in Colorado tried adjusting their thermostats Tuesday, they learned they had no control over the temperatures in their own homes. ... Xcel confirmed to Contact Denver7 that 22,000 customers who had signed up for the Colorado AC Rewards program were locked out of their smart thermostats for hours on Tuesday. "It's a voluntary program. Let's remember that this is something that customers choose to be a part...

Is Your Refrigerator A National Security Risk? September 12, 2017 6:10 PM WASHINGTON (CBS4) – The federal government is worried some refrigerators and coffee pots could pose a national security risk, and it’s taking action. Colorado’s U.S. Senator Cory Gardner among a bi-partisan group of senators who are sponsoring legislation to secure the so-called Internet of Things – everyday devices that are embedded with computer chips and sensors. Gardner says those devices can be used as weapons of mass disruption. “The federal government orders billions of dollars worth of Internet of Things devices each and every year,” says Gardner. “These...

Hackers used internet-connected home devices, such as CCTV cameras and printers, to attack popular websites on Friday, security analysts say. Twitter, Spotify, and Reddit were among the sites taken offline on Friday. Each uses a company called Dyn, which was the target of the attack, to direct users to its website. Security analysts now believe the attack used the "internet of things" - web-connected home devices - to launch the assault.