Mystery of LG washing machine using 3.6GB of data daily could have a simple explanation

[midian182]

WTF?! In what could have been another example of the dangers of making every single household appliance internet-connected, the owner of an LG washing machine got a shock this week when the device started reporting the use of 3.6GB of data every day.

Johnie, who describes himself as a FinTech Geek in his X/Twitter bio, posted a message on Elon Musk's platform this week after noticing the extremely high amount of data his LG washing machine was using each day.

For those looking for an update, data usage has dropped since I posted this and blocked the device on my router.

Sorry if you were using my washing machine for bitcoin mining. But I'd gladly rent our the LPU (Laundry Processing Unit) by the hour. pic.twitter.com/uZzW3TcCt9

– Johnie (@Johnie) January 9, 2024

The image from the Asus router interface page shows the LG washing machine downloaded 100MB of data and uploaded a whopping 3.57GB in a single day. The household appliance accounted for just under 5% of Johnie's daily internet traffic, which is certainly a lot for a washing machine; the applications usually consume around 1MB of data daily.

Like many companies, LG offers an app – SmartThinQ – for users to control and automate all their compatible household devices. Connecting a washing machine allows features such as being able to download additional wash programs. But there's obviously something amiss with the amount of data being used in this situation.

There were plenty of theories about why the LG washing machine was being so data-hungry. Many suggested the device could have been taken over in a hack. In 2017, a vulnerability dubbed HomeHack was discovered in LG's smart home infrastructure that could have allowed attackers to log into LG users' SmartThinQ home appliances accounts and take remote control of the devices connected to the account. An intruder could, among other things, have spied on home users via the video camera in the Hom-Bot robot vacuum cleaner.

HomeHack was patched soon after being discovered, but the incident showed the potential dangers of giving online connectivity to everything in a household. There were plenty of warnings that Johnie's machine could have been commandeered for cryptomining purposes, leading to jokes about laundering Bitcoin.

Well, Lg's ceo would like to know what you are washing https://t.co/GzOgMVDNZK

– Internet of Shit (@internetofshit) January 10, 2024

Johnie blocked the device on his router to stop it from using his data. He posted a follow-up post a day later that appeared to reveal what had been going on: it was likely just a reporting inaccuracy on the part of the Asus router interface tool. A few other users confirmed this sort of bugginess can happen in the software (as this writer knows from personal experience).

As a follow up, it looks like this issue started on 1/4.
What's interesting is that there was traffic with Apple iMessage. I chalk this up to inaccuracy in the ASUS router tool … unless it was sending ð pics of my laundry. pic.twitter.com/8jVKs9PMbQ

– Johnie (@Johnie) January 10, 2024

Even if this was just an error, it's interesting how few people suggested it could be a mistake on Asus' part when the first message was posted, illustrating how accustomed we are to seeing IoT devices shipping with terrible security and regularly being taken over.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/101514-mystery-lg-washing-machine-consuming-36gb-data-daily.html

 

[y6Tq2RGXEejb]

Doing technology risk management, and out of dozens of companies we audited only one accounted for IoT security and actually took it seriously. The rest of them ranged anywhere from blissfully unaware to maliciously negligent. So yeah, I can say with a degree of confidence that IoT is a security and privacy nightmare.

 

[Nanochip]

Put iot devices on their own vlan and subnet and don’t allow them to talk to the main network.

 

[VitalyT]

By 2030, your kettle will require a 10Gbit Internet connection and 1TB of monthly data exchange. And so will your crapper, for uploading "stuff" into the cloud.

 

[Freddie159]

Put iot devices on their own vlan and subnet and don’t allow them to talk to the main network.

The OP said it use 5% of his dialy usage, that could mean they didn't have an unlimited plan and were concerned about a daily usage amount that mean they had to decide what could and couldn't get thru. Those of us with unlimited internet are probably more blissfully unaware of how much what uses and why.

 

[mountains]

The OP said it use 5% of his dialy usage, that could mean they didn't have an unlimited plan and were concerned about a daily usage amount that mean they had to decide what could and couldn't get thru. Those of us with unlimited internet are probably more blissfully unaware of how much what uses and why.

Man, ain't that the truth! Many people these days don't even run a proper firewall on their computers or phones that block (or at least let you see) outbound traffic!

I would not even connect a washer to the Internet, but if I did decide there was some IoT gadget that would be worth the privacy/security trade off, I would probably give it a guest account that has no access to the rest of the network, then use a Pie-Hole to monitor and control what it does. That is pretty easy to set up.

 

[Uncle Al]

Amazing .... I've been using the same old washing machine and dryer for the past 25 years and never needed the internet to get my cloths washed or dried .....

 

[Nobina]

It's using data because you were dumb enough to buy it. If you bought the one without that function, you wouldn't have a problem.

 

[hahahanoobs]

Social Media...

 

[hahahanoobs]

Doing technology risk management, and out of dozens of companies we audited only one accounted for IoT security and actually took it seriously. The rest of them ranged anywhere from blissfully unaware to maliciously negligent. So yeah, I can say with a degree of confidence that IoT is a security and privacy nightmare.

Anything controlled by humans can be flawed.

 

[havok585]

Put iot devices on their own vlan and subnet and don’t allow them to talk to the main network.

Modern routers have that by default, IOT subnet and everything.

 

[Atmajaya2020]

never needed the internet to get my cloths washed or dried..

its so true, but there is definitely someone who uses the internet when washing and drying their clothes though they won't use the internet through their washing machine..

 

[toooooot]

The OP said it use 5% of his dialy usage, that could mean they didn't have an unlimited plan and were concerned about a daily usage amount that mean they had to decide what could and couldn't get thru. Those of us with unlimited internet are probably more blissfully unaware of how much what uses and why.

Millions. There are millions of people in USA who still use stinking Comcast that still, in 2024, has a data cap for most plans. How this greedy company can still do it is beyond me.
For those unaware. Their most popular plans have 1tb monthly cap. But I dare you. If you have multiple people who game and stream, you will need twice that data easily.
You go over limit and they start charging you something like 50gb extra for 10 bucks till next month.
Or you can play extra 30 bucks for no cap.
90 dollars for no data cap for home internet in 2024, this is Comcast ladies and gentlemen.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Router data report error aside, my pihole tracks this more accurately and found my Sony android TV doing this 24/7 to google servers. Most of it was endlessly pinging if the server was there but I was glad to be able to block most of it just the same. (Obviously the TV needed some access to stream shows. )

 

[cackocacho]

Why does a washing machine require any data whatsoever? LMAO My god.

 

[Primey]

It's using data because you were dumb enough to buy it. If you bought the one without that function, you wouldn't have a problem.

Way to miss the point of the original complaint.

 

[masaaya4]

Home appliances have no purpose that requires them to be always online or connected to home WIFI.

it looks great in advertisement material but in the day to day, it's worthless.

our dishwasher was connected to our Wi-Fi and I had the app for it as well.

I would get a notification when the dishwasher was done, and we always run the dishwasher during the night(it opens automatically). I don't read notifications during my sleep.

fast forward 2 months and we had completely filled our dishwasher to the brim, turn on the display and it reads that the machine cleaning program must be used.

EVERYTHING had to be emptied from the machine to run this program.

why did I not get a notification for this on my phone? "Dishwasher done, machine requires cleaning program"

I deleted the app, disconnected the machine from Wi-Fi and wrote a angry email to customer service.

it's such a waste of resources to build this stuff into these appliances when they have so little benefit, if they have any benefit at all.

 

[Neatfeatguy]

The house I moved into a few years ago the previous owners had a few devices/appliances that connect to the internet - if you want them to - that I got with the house when we moved in.

We've actually got a LG washer and dryer with the ThinkQ crap. I have zero reasons to allow them to connect to my network so I have never linked up with them. Maybe I'm crazy, but I think it is creepy as F that any kind of appliance or device (outside of my computers/phones) is designed to have access to your network.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Way to miss the point of the original complaint.

He didnt. A washing machine does not need wifi. If you buy one with "smart app" functionality because you are too lazy to listed for the done bell, you deserve to have all your personal data scraped and sold to the highest bidder.

Had he not purchased a WiFi washing machine, this wouldnt be an issue. It doesnt even accomplish anything, its not like the laundry is automated in any way. At least with a smart thermo you could adjust temperature when not at home, I still wouldnt ever want one, but it has a technical use case. This? This is just pure insanity. You cant load laundry over WiFi, fill soap, or do anything like that. It's more work to take your phone out, open the app, and set your wash settings then just doing it when you load the machine!

 

[MasterFig]

I can't think of any reason why I'd ever want to connect my washer/dryer up to the internet.

 

[p51d007]

iOT...just another way to collect more data on everyone. Hey, if you want "smart" appliances, go for it.
But, I've gotten along without connected tv's, washers, dryers, refrigerators and what not. I think I can
go along longer without them.
I had read that someone is playing with a refrigerator that knows what is in your frig and will suggests
meals.

 

[hahahanoobs]

I can't think of any reason why I'd ever want to connect my washer/dryer up to the internet.

Google helps when you're stuck.
https://www.intuz.com/blog/iot-application-in-smart-washing-machine

 

[Nobina]

I can't think of any reason why I'd ever want to connect my washer/dryer up to the internet.

There is none unless you're a cripple of some sort.

 

[Just Some Dude]

There are some good reasons to have a washing machine connected. I have the washer and the dryer connected. It means I get notified when they complete their cycles and I can go swap all the clothes over. The time cycles are not specific (could take and hour, could take 3) because the monitoring system checks for water soiling and weight, moisture, etc. (they like to call it AI but it’s not). I can also check on its progress and perform other cycles if it reports things. So there are positives, and as the article showed, they OP’s machine was not using the data he showed.

 

[trgz]

Simple explanation? Someone bought a washing machine that was utterly, and pointlessly, overengineered.