This was only found because LG was stupid enough to use plain HTTP instead of HTTPS. I wonder how many devices use SSL/TLS for this same thing that just haven't been caught yet.
That's why Intel's future chips that will allow encrypted connections to Intel's servers and be updated whenever Intel wants them to, without the user seeing anything, worry me, too.
Unless they offer a way to accept certificates and use a proxy server. Neither are particularly uncommon, and something like Charles[1] makes this laughably easy.
Not really, you can do that with any decent SSL tool. Getting the client to accept your trusted certificate is all that is needed. Once you have that you have the keys to the kingdom. I've written similar software myself.
Now on a closed device it can be very difficult to add root certificates to the store, but it's often possible.
For instance when the PS3 firmware was first cracked I took the opportunity to flash mine with a firmware I made that contained my root authority certificate. Then I wrote a python program to intercept and MITM all the traffic.
Result? I found out that on boot your PS3 tells Sony every game (or other thing) you run on the ps3, what times you run them and how long for.
