The ultimate HVAC hacker

The ultimate HVAC hacker

Nick July 26, 2021

My central air conditioner was hacked by a professional HVAC scammer.

This HVAC scammer would often pose as a heating expert or a cooling specialist, but in reality, he would plant small devices he built onto the computer system of a central air conditioner or furnace and then would be able to control the HVAC unit from miles away.

Before long, he had control of over half the heating and cooling units in our entire city. The scary part was that the devices he planted on air conditioners and furnaces were so tiny and wired into the computer system of the heating and cooling units, that almost none of the HVAC technicians in the town could disconnect the device. There was one heating and cooling company that had two HVAC specialists who were able to destroy the HVAC device, but with only two of them, progress was slow and the HVAC hacker was getting more and more air conditioners and furnaces under his control every day. What the hacker would do is randomly change the settings on people’s smart thermostats, or he would just turn your central air conditioner on full blast and freeze you in your house. Often he would threaten people to leave him things in their front yard that he wanted like televisions, jewelry, or sometimes just money. If the person refused, the HVAC hacker would either turn their furnace on full blast or their air conditioner. It took months, but the hacker was finally caught, and many HVAC technicians learned how to disconnect the device afom central air conditioners, furnaces, and window air conditioners.

 

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