Have been using Hubitat with GE and Jasco paddle style switches for last 2 years. This weekend 2 switches started to be unresponsive. Would not turn on. When I checked the logs on Hubitat both switches had log entries of physical off being repeated 20+ times. No worries, I pulled the air gap on the switches. Closed the circuit breaker for 5 min on switches. Updated Hubitat to latest version. Turned switches back on same behavior. Did zWave repair. Physical off on both switch logs 20+ times 1 per second. and it would repeat indefinitely. Ok bad switches, odd but they were in the same triple gang box. Ordered 2 new switches. Pulled the old ones out, third switch in the gang shows same behavior (note it is the only switch on this circuit powered on and resonable to assume next neighbor in line in the zwave networ). New switches not connected yet. Ok pulled that one out of wall and circuit. Five min later a switch downstairs, separate circuit same behavior same physical off in the log repeating endlessly. All of these switches bricked - useless in a matter of hours. Would not turn on, would not factory reset. This can't be a coincidence. I'd love to provide better log details but upon losing the 4th switch I shut Hubitat down and disconnected it from the network. Looking for anyone who has seen something similar. Not a novice I switched from Homeseer to Hubitat and have done a ton of troubleshooting in both environments
You’re right. These switches are very sensitive to power surges. Like those generated within your house from faulty motors.
If I had to guess, I’d guess you have a washer, dryer, fridge, A/C compressor, or HVAC blower that needs to be evaluated.
I have had several of the GE Jasco go bad in the failure mode you mention, in almost every case it was after I shut off and turned on the breaker feeding the circuit to that switch.
I found that turning them off before removing power seems to help.
Heck, it could have even been a line level transient from a week ago that weakened them all. A couple switches die two days later and then the third and fourth a short time after.
Jasco was warrantying some of these switches due to a similar (if not identical) issue. Here are some examples of similar issues as your switches.
https://www.reddit.com/r/homeautomation/comments/lrh717/ge_jasco_zwave_warranty_claim_great_customer/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/homeautomation/comments/lpv2s9/fix_for_ge_12727_jasco_zw4003_switch_failures/ and
https://www.reddit.com/r/smarthome/comments/ejzclr/failing_ge_zwave_switches/
Jasco's warranty is great ... Definitely should look into replacing the switches under warranty.
Does sound like there was a shock (maybe more than one) to his system\circuits.
I think what others have said sounds like it’s on the money, but just to throw this out there given the thread title.. I’m going to make the bold claim that it is impossible that malware would ever cause these symptoms. Even if it was possible, it would have to be something like a state level threat actor targeting you and for some reason thought it would be fun to somehow start killing light switches instead of targeting more useful data stores. But I don’t think a government is dropping the new Hubitat version of stuxnet on anyone (unless these are light switches controlling centrifuges in Iran).
Curious what the date code is in all the failed switches. My house was full of 17XX switches and I have had to warranty claim just about all of them. Something with the 2017 vintage had issues which I suspect is why they upped the warranty to 5 years.
As other have stated I have had 3 plus switches fail at the exact same time immediately after power is restored from an outage or me flipping back on a breaker.
I'm with everyone else on this. Likely a surge of some sort. I'm not aware of any virus/malware that would have the ability to brick a switch. 1st, hubitat itself would have to be infected (unlikely) then the virus would have to launch the firmware updater and throw it's payload at the switch... Again unlikely. So the likely explanation is a surge. Now these switches (especially the older ones) went out like a snuffed candle so easily GE/Jasco extended the warranties on them to 5 years. So chances are if you give them a call, you can get them replaced free of charge.
Thank you for the quick replies. Truly a great community!
I have a whole home surge protection and power conditioner which led me to believe it was not an electrical event.
However all of the failed switches are of the date code 17 and of the type non-dimmable rocker (basic on off). None of the dimmers are failing. There are roughly 20 of these on/off in my setup. All of the failed switches were installed by an electrician during the house build and have operated fine for last 5 years.
I might be out of even the extended warranty period but I will try. I’ll let the community know what has I says.
My experience exactly. None of my 17XX dimmers have failed. Only the on/off switches of 2017 failed. Give Jasco a call and see what they say. I have had great customer support from them.
Jasco just replaced one of these on/off switches for me a couple weeks ago. I looked up when I bought the switch on Amazon but didn't need the invoice and didn't need to send the old switch back. They just sent me a new one. Very painless warranty replace.
I have also had a lot of these Jasco switches fail. Both zwave and zwave+ versions.
Jasco has been great for me in the replacements, definitely call them.
800-654-8483 during operating hours of 7am-8pm CST Monday through Friday.
From https://byjasco.com//tech
Support@byjasco.com
How to read date sticker on plugs, switches, and outlets:
-
Example: 2113B
-
2021, 13th week
I've had to replace many of of my switches this way... Lots of them were early plus versions from 2017... However, that 5 year window is closing quickly...
Recently, Jasco told me it wasn't all of the 2017 lot (thank God cause I still have quite a few left from 2017) but specific to a certain batch from 2017... But I've also have some 2018's fail that they replaced...
Also, many of mine failed when I flipped the breaker back on... Sometimes after replacing a bad switch, flipping the breaker would cause another one in the same room to fail... Talk about PITA! 
It should also be mentioned, there is a way to fix them yourself if you are good with soldering... I figure I'll have to go that route if any more fail outside of the 5 year warranty window...
Replace them with Lutron? 
(Sorry couldn't resist)
Where can I find that info? Knock on wood mine have been pretty stable but it'd be nice to have that info handy, JIC. Thanks
Here's one version of it I believe.
Thanks @danabw! Beat me to it...
Mine usually fail after a power surge but never in the way u describe. When mine have failed the radios stop working.
I had one fail, but the radio worked fine while the switch itself kept blinking the light on and off on and off.
I could still control it via the hub briefly to turn on our of, but it just wouldn't keep its on or off state.
