What's the whole crowdfunding wave of snake-oil "security" devices lately

[zhang888 1066]

1) https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/veiltower/veiltower-where-connected-and-protected-converge/

2) https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/don-t-get-hacked-get-cujo

 

Amazing how those charlatans exploit the average people fear of home devices being hacked, and offer an OpenWRT+VPN router as a solution.

Probably you can become very rich doing some photoshop slides and throw tech buzz words around...

[InactiveUser 188]

Yeah, funny, I had the exact same thought today when I saw this one offer an "Enhanced Tor experience for premium subscribers".

[zhang888 1066]

Are they back? I thought they were shamed off the internet after cloning the P.O.R.T.A.L project and putting it in an overpriced box.

So, another one to this list

 

Security devices made by amateurs can actually weaken your security and add new attack surface.

[me.moo@posteo.me 80]

Unfortunately the rip off merchants are bound to try and cash in. Good marketing hype bullsh1t makes them a fortune, and the consumer will be oblivious to the likely very poor inadeqate software they receive.

[RidersoftheStorm 20]

I thought CUJO would be something unique but after months of promises to set my account up for BETA tester.

It is a joke.

The Android App was rejecting by Google, in the beginning; so no Android (even IOS) BETA testers could not download it. After three weeks, the staff (at CUJO) solved the problem (BUT).

The Apps did not work; no one could sign up to use the APPs.  Something about a country code (but not the country code for a telephone which was required). It was a country code for simple identification purposes only but the no BETA tester could enter the code which was just a simple tap on the country where you were living.

CUJO did not understand this so it took another month to work this kink out of both APPs.

 

I started to question the CUJO customer service rep (Just one person) and that person could never answer the questions.

 

Here is the best part:

1) Finally the Apps worked, BUT;

2) No BETA devices were ever sent out to the BETA testers.

 

I made my inquiries and receive the same typical BS but now the Customer Service rep was getting very snippy and would not answer the questions on the problems.

 

I was only asked "What is my t-shirt size" which was a gift for being a BETA tester.  NEVER RECEIVED IT!!

 

A month later, I receive an e-mail from a Gravrock, who is one of the founders, and he stated he is upset that I am not satisfied with this set up.

He complained to to that I was harsh and bothered the Customer Service rep.  He, Gravrock, was not happy and asked me if I wanted to drop out of the program and I would receive a refund.

 

I sent Gravrock all copies of my e-mails with the Customer Service Rep to prove all I did was make inquiries about way the App did not work several times and no intellectual response was made by the Customer Service Rep.

I explained to Gravrock, I understand BETA testing and did BETA testing before. I had to problems with this up start company and reassured Gravrock the problems I have seen were many but not unusual for tech companies.  (Windows 10 was an example).

Two days later, I received another e-mail from Gravrock. He was pissed off and told me I would receive a refund  (DEC. 15, 2015)

 

One question remained unanswered; "Where are the BETA devices?".

AT CES, CUJO staff claim the BETA testing was a (success ????) BUT WHO did the BETA testing????

 

So far no check has been cashed.

 

I signed up in mid October 2015.

[OmniNegro 155]

The only such thing I saw in the last year or two that sounded like this but was not is the Turris Omnia.

https://omnia.turris.cz/en/

 

It was crowd funded, but it is a real router, not a fake PoS like the rest in this thread.

 

The one thing I have yet to learn about it is if it can actually handle OpenVPN or not. I have to presume it can, but if not it is beyond useless as far as I am concerned.

[zhang888 1066]

They even measured 100Mbit with OpenVPN on it, ofcourse it supports it.

Turris Omnia does NOT belong to this list, it's a great team and a great product.

 

The problem is with all the "wise guys" out there who think they can put some

graphics in a modded RPI box and call it a security device.