Our Time in a Product Review Cabal - Uncovering Malware and Vulnerabilities in Free Products

Explore the intriguing journey of two individuals who formed a Product Review Cabal during the pandemic in this 41-minute conference talk. Discover how a simple postcard in a product box led to receiving free packages almost daily, but with a dangerous twist: most products arrived with malware, backdoors, or significant vulnerabilities. Learn about the detection and mitigation of issues in various smart devices, from cameras and light switches to routers and vacuum cleaners. Gain insights into social engineering, hardware hacking, and software vulnerabilities as the speakers share their experiences with product teardowns and technical analysis. Follow their escalating involvement in the cabal, including bringing friends into the fold, and understand the eventual consequences of their actions. Delve into the weird and unusual product offerings, and witness how things ultimately went awry, concluding with the deletion of their reviews.