This is an archival post from 8/7-8/14/2017.
This week’s Byte talks about how everything in your house and life is spying on you! Happy Monday!!
0: Batteries (and a Sense of Security) not Included
Children’s toys are already objectively terrifying, and kids are the creepiest part of any horror movie. Thanks to the internet of things, children and their weird toys just got spookier (can you tell I’m not a kids person?). The FBI has warned that toys with microphones and a WiFi connection could be the perfect way for strangers to listen to your conversations. Germany banned a doll back in February over cybersecurity concerns, namely that anyone with the right URL could listen to your child play. I’ll take the Poltergeist clown doll any day, y’all can keep your Barbie’s Dream Hack.
1: Couch Potatoes Beware
I enjoy long romantic strolls from my TV to the fridge, so imagine my heartbreak when I found out these devices have also posed a cybersecurity risk. WiFi connected televisions and refrigerators are essentially an unlocked back door to your private network. Interconnected televisions pose another problem, as cybersecurity firm Scheels proved, hackers can control sets of televisions at once.
2: Russians Hacking Hotels
Russian hackers-is nothing sacred? Look, I get the nuclear facilities, the US election, and even Netflix, but why do you have to come after mid-tier hotels? Can’t I eat a waffle at the continental breakfast without worrying about my identity being stolen? As it turns out, the Ruskis have infiltrated hotel WiFi networks all over Europe. There is no confirmation that the breach has made it’s way to the USA, but it’s probably not too far behind. The hackers are leaving malware in hotel WiFi, and using it as a net to catch user credentials. The group being blamed is also accused of hacking the DNC last year.
3: Implantables are not Impenetrable
Hacking is already invasive and terrifying, but to step up their nightmare points, computer creeps may be looking to medical implants next. You know, those life-saving bits of future tech that give us hope that human ingenuity is innately good? Yep, they may be the next deadly weapon. Researchers in the UK have already proved deadly signals can be transmitted to implantables. Essentially, by intercepting the signals put out by these devices, hackers can recreate the input signal, even without documentation on the implant. Meaning your PaPa’s pacemaker could be shut down or sped up remotely. What’s worse? Manufacturers, like St. Jude, are denying the vulnerability of their devices.
4: A Less Than Smart Smart Gun
A while back, someone had the brilliant idea of creating a gun that only fires when near an accompanying safety watch. For the record, the last sentence was meant to be read genuinely, not in the bitingly sarcastic tone I expect the rest of the blog to be interpreted in. The idea was good, and the concept could prevent a lot of accidents. However, give one hacker named Plore $15 worth of magnets, and the safety watch is for style points only. I’d go more in depth, but the Wired article is too hard to top.A
5: A Not so Secure Security Camera
Nest is trying to make the Disney Channel classic, Smart House, a reality. For the unfamiliar with both classic DCOMs and IoT giants, Nest makes WiFi and Bluetooth connected home devices. They take on everything from light switches to climate control, however, their interpretation of home security leaves much to be desired. This past spring, a hack was published that disabled Nest’s security cameras; potential burglars only need to be in Bluetooth range to reset the cameras. Add this to the risk their thermostat poses to your network and maybe it’s time to leave the Nest.
6: Senators talk Cybersecurity
Despite how I feel, I am not the only one who cares about the growing list of things in my home that are totally hackable. Apparently, my representatives do too. Senators introduced a bill this week that would require IoT devices to meet a minimum security standard. In classic politician form, this law serves the interests of the government first- it only applies to products sold to the federal government. I’ll take a win where I can get one.
7: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I AM SCARED!
I know, the growing list of virtual threats is frightening, and not just because I am quickly running out of synonyms for the word hack. Here’s the thing: the more hacks we see, the better we are at anticipating and preventing them. So, before abandoning society for your own wireless Walden, let’s chat about what you can do to protect yourself. Only connect on private networks and use a VPN whenever possible. Check settings, permissions, software updates, and keep up with cybersecurity news. As it turns out, by subscribing to this newsletter, you’ve already done that last one. Way to go you. You’re killing it.