In-brief: A vulnerability in software by device maker D-Link is much more widespread than initially believed, affecting hundreds of thousands of Internet connected devices, including cameras, home routers, wireless access points and network attached storage.
In-brief: A hard-coded password in many versions of GE’s MultiLink industrial networking switches could open the door to hackers, the Department of Homeland Security ICS-CERT warned.
In a move that heralded the growing convergence of information security and IT operations, Belden, a maker of industrial networking equipment, said it is acquiring Tripwire, an IT security services firm for $710 in cash. The announcement, on Tuesday, underscores the degree to which traditional IT security focused on securing enterprise networks is becoming part and parcel of the services that industrial firms wish to offer to their customers in heavy industries and critical infrastructure. [Read more Security Ledger reporting on Internet of Things and IT-OT convergence.] In a published statement, Belden said that, together, the companies will “work to deliver the next generation of cybersecurity solutions that can be deployed across enterprise, industrial, and broadcast markets.” John Stroup, President and CEO of Belden, said TripWire will extend his company’s capabilities. The two companies had previously worked together to improve critical infrastructure cybersecurity in manufacturing organizations, tailoring cyber security solutions for specific customer […]
One of the ‘subplots’ of the Internet of Things revolution concerns embedded devices. Specifically: the tendency of embedded devices to be either loosely managed or – in some cases – unmanageable. The future holds the promise of more, not fewer of these. That’s the gist of a piece I wrote for InfoWorld, and that you can read here. In short: we’re already seeing the beginning of a shift on the threat landscape. While attacks against traditional endpoints (like Windows desktops, laptops and servers) are still the norm, there are more stories each day about cyber criminal groups and malicious actors who are compromising non-standard endpoints like home wifi routers. In March, for example, the security consultancy Team Cymru identified a botnet consisting of some 300,000 compromised home routers and other in-home devices. The virus called “TheMoon” was also identified spreading between vulnerable home routers and other embedded devices. The […]
[This story was updated to include response from Belkin describing its response to the vulnerabilities identified by IOActive, including firmware updates. – PFR Feb 19, 2014] A researcher with the respected security firm IOActive says that he has found a number of serious security holes in home automation products from the firm Belkin that could allow remote attackers to use Belkin’s WeMo devices to virtually vandalize connected homes or as a stepping stone to other computers connected on a home network. In a statement released on Tuesday, IOActive researcher Mike Davis said that his research into Belkin’s WeMo technology found the “devices expose users to several potentially costly threats, from home fires with possible tragic consequences down to the simple waste of electricity.” IOActive provided information on Davis’s research to the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT), which issued an advisory on the WeMo issues on Tuesday. Belkin did not […]
