Google’s beloved Internet-of-Things wunderkind Nest is disabling a pc software feature called Nest Wave, citing security issues that security after the company discovered that users could accidentally disable the device by waving their hands. The company said the function, Nest Wave, which allows users to wave their arms to deactivate the security, could be triggered unintentionally.
Nest laboratories CEO Tony Fadell writes: “During recent laboratory evaluation of the Nest Safeguard smoke alarm, we observed an original combination of circumstances that caused us to question whether or not the Nest Wave (a feature that enables you to turn your alarm off with a wave associated with the hand) could be unintentionally activated. This could delay an alarm going down if there is a genuine fire.” “We identified this problem ourselves and they are not aware of any customers who have observed this, however the fact so it could even potentially happen is very important to me and I desire to address it immediately.
“we are enormously sorry for the inconvenience caused by this issue.”
As a result, Fadell the feature is being disabled immediately and automatically in all Nest devices in the field, and “we have also halted product sales of new Nest Protect Alarms to ensure no one buys an alarm that needs an instantaneous update”
Lets just look at the salient point once again: the disabling is happening automatically, without any intervention required on the part of the user. As noted in the letter: “Within 24 hours, Nest Wave will be automatically disabled. You don’t need to even do anything and with this particular function disabled, our smoke alarm will work very effectively”.
If hackers of all cap colors between white and black weren’t already looking at the functionality that gives Nest Labs the ability to push device updates without individual connection, they probably are actually.
The company is offering refunds in tha rare case that Nest Labs Alarm device has found its way into an installation with no WiFi acces and no Nest user account.