New research by Pen Test Partners underscores how customers can be put at risk by manufacturers that add “smart” functionality to tools without properly reviewing the security implications. Researchers discovered that the Glamoriser hair straightener, the first hair straightener that supports Bluetooth, can easily be hacked. Moreover, by remotely controlling the heating element of the Glamoriser, hackers can turn the hair straightener into a massive fire hazard.
Stuart Kennedy of Pen Test Partners writes that “for years we’ve been trying to set fire to ‘smart’ things by hacking them.” So far they did not get any further than “some charring on the iKettle,” but Kennedy warns that the Glamoriser appears to be “a much better candidate for our pyromaniac intent.”
Read more: Hacked Hair Straighteners Can Threaten Homes
