Kohler Smart Toilet Cameras Found Lacking True End-to-End Encryption, Experts Warn

WIRED’s weekly cybersecurity roundup highlights several major privacy and security developments. Security researcher Simon Fondrie-Teitler discovered that Kohler’s new smart toilet device, the Dekota, falsely claimed to use end-to-end encryption. The device records and uploads images for analysis, but Kohler’s encryption only protects data from the toilet to its server, allowing the company to decrypt it for processing—contrary to standard definitions of end-to-end encryption. Following public criticism, Kohler removed all references to the term from its marketing.

In another major story, the U.S. government chose not to impose sanctions on China despite evidence that state-affiliated hackers, known as Salt Typhoon, infiltrated nearly all U.S. telecom networks, even accessing communications of political figures like Donald Trump and J.D. Vance. Officials reportedly avoided sanctions to preserve economic negotiations with Beijing.

Meanwhile, Sean Plankey’s nomination to head the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) faces indefinite delays in Congress due to partisan disputes and pending transparency demands from multiple senators.

Cybersecurity officials also warned about an advanced Chinese malware operation called Brickstorm. The malware has infected organizations since 2022, often remaining undetected for more than a year. Authorities warn that Brickstorm poses both espionage and potential sabotage risks to infrastructure across North America. Additional stories covered data exposure by an AI startup and new privacy-focused telecom services. Overall, the report underscores rising tensions between digital privacy, corporate accountability, and geopolitical cybersecurity policy shifts.