A couple of days ago, I pointed out the risks we all have from companies that fall outside what is derisively known as “big tech.” Whether it is utilities playing god with the connected thermostats or insurance companies mucking around with your rates based on what your car sensors report back to them — the devils we don’t know are the most considerable risk in our new connected life.
Last evening, the news broke about many My Book owners, a device made by storage giant Western Digital, seeing their data “remotely” wiped out. Western Digital, whose brands include Sandisk and G-Technology, offered a statement to Ars Technica that is a bit of a headscratcher. On Twitter, Lon Seidman pointed out that the WD product has been discontinued, and its firmware was last updated in 2015.
I am sure more details on the WD incident will emerge shortly. However, it does reinforce my original point: we might hate the “big tech,” but in reality, they are likely to do more to help avoid such incidents.
June 25, 2021, San Francisco