500 smart locks aren’t so smart anymore, thanks to botched update
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/08/500-smart-locks-arent-so-smart-anymore-thanks-to-botched-update/
Hundreds of Internet-connected locks became inoperable last week after a faulty software update caused them to experience a fatal system error, the manufacturer, LockState said.
The incident is the latest reminder that the so-called Internet of Things—in which locks, thermostats, and other everyday appliances are embedded with small Internet-connected computers—often provide as many annoyances as they do conveniences. Over the past week, the Colorado-based company's Twitter feed has been gorged with comments from customers who were suddenly unable to lock or unlock their doors normally. Complicating the matter: the affected LockState model—the RemoteLock 6i—is included in an Airbnb partnership called Host Assist. That left many hosts unable to remotely control their locks.