Kohler's latest smart home innovation is a real doozy - the Dekota, a camera-enabled toilet that uploads an analysis of your waste to a corporation. It's a concept so laughably bad that it was parodied 11 years ago. But in 2025, this bizarre product has become a reality.
Security researcher Simon Fondrie-Teitler recently exposed the true nature of the Dekota's encryption claims. Contrary to Kohler's marketing spin, the device only encrypts data from the toilet camera to the server. This means that the company itself hosts the "decrypted and processed" images, rendering its own definition of end-to-end encryption a far cry from reality.
As one might expect, this revelation has left many scratching their heads. The fact that Kohler has since removed all references to "end-to-end encryption" from its marketing materials raises more questions than answers.
With the growing threat of cyber espionage and data breaches, it's concerning to see companies so recklessly disregard user security. As we continue to navigate our increasingly digital lives, it's essential that companies prioritize transparency and robust cybersecurity measures.
Meanwhile, the US government has declined to impose sanctions on China for its involvement in the Salt Typhoon hacking campaign, a cyberespionage operation that infiltrated virtually every US telecom network and gained access to sensitive information. This decision comes as part of an effort to reach a trade deal with China's government, sparking criticism from some quarters.
Additionally, Sean Plankey's nomination to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) has hit a roadblock in Congress. His nomination was excluded from a Senate vote, potentially tanking his chances at leading the agency.
Lastly, officials and Google have issued warnings about a stealthy Chinese "Brickstorm" espionage malware that has been infecting dozens of victim organizations since 2022. The malware poses significant risks to US infrastructure, with an average detection time of 393 days.
Security researcher Simon Fondrie-Teitler recently exposed the true nature of the Dekota's encryption claims. Contrary to Kohler's marketing spin, the device only encrypts data from the toilet camera to the server. This means that the company itself hosts the "decrypted and processed" images, rendering its own definition of end-to-end encryption a far cry from reality.
As one might expect, this revelation has left many scratching their heads. The fact that Kohler has since removed all references to "end-to-end encryption" from its marketing materials raises more questions than answers.
With the growing threat of cyber espionage and data breaches, it's concerning to see companies so recklessly disregard user security. As we continue to navigate our increasingly digital lives, it's essential that companies prioritize transparency and robust cybersecurity measures.
Meanwhile, the US government has declined to impose sanctions on China for its involvement in the Salt Typhoon hacking campaign, a cyberespionage operation that infiltrated virtually every US telecom network and gained access to sensitive information. This decision comes as part of an effort to reach a trade deal with China's government, sparking criticism from some quarters.
Additionally, Sean Plankey's nomination to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) has hit a roadblock in Congress. His nomination was excluded from a Senate vote, potentially tanking his chances at leading the agency.
Lastly, officials and Google have issued warnings about a stealthy Chinese "Brickstorm" espionage malware that has been infecting dozens of victim organizations since 2022. The malware poses significant risks to US infrastructure, with an average detection time of 393 days.
by the Dekota toilet thing... what were they thinking?! 
It's like they took a parody from 11 years ago and thought it was a good idea to make it real life 
. And now we're talking about actual data breaches and cyber espionage... companies gotta step up their game when it comes to security! 
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That's just straight-up scary. We need better protection ASAP! 
who needs security when you can just have "transparency"? 
anyway gotta wonder what other sketchy stuff these corps are gonna come up with...
I mean I know we live in the age of smart homes and all, but come on, that's just gross 
. And now Simon Fondrie-Teitler is like "hey guys, it's not secure at all" 
and Kohler's all "oh wait, our encryption is secure" 
As a parent, I want to protect my kids' personal info more than anything, and companies like Kohler need to step up their game when it comes to user security. This is just one of those times where you wonder if these "innovators" have ever actually used the product they're trying to sell... 
This whole Dekota smart toilet thing is a total mess, and it's all about prioritizing profits over people's security... 
The fact that companies are so quick to disregard user safety and jump at the chance for more money is just sad. 
. On the flip side, Google and CISA are sounding out warnings about this "Brickstorm" malware... someone needs to tell these companies to up their cybersecurity game 
. The fact that it's been infecting organizations for years is just disgusting. We need better cybersecurity measures in place, stat!
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I mean, come on Kohler, didn't you guys learn anything from those smart speaker fiascos? And what's with the encryption claims? It's like they're speaking a different language or something. Like, if they're only encrypting data to the server, that's basically no security at all. And don't even get me started on these Chinese espionage threats... 
and now it's real life?!? how can companies like Kohler just roll with this and ignore user security? shouldn't they be worried about people's data being compromised? 
? or maybe even our toilet habits 
