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The Enduring Terribleness of Home Router Security Matters to IoT

January 21, 2015 Paul Roberts

Last week, home broadband router maker ASUS was the latest vendor to issue an emergency patch for a critical vulnerability in its products. This, after proof-of-concept exploit code was released for the so-called “Inforsvr” vulnerability that affects several ASUS home routers. That vulnerability -if left unpatched – would allow anyone with access to a home- or small business network that used an ASUS broadband router to, essentially, commandeer the device. The “infosvr” feature is typically used for device discovery by the ASUS Wireless Router Device Discovery Utility, but the service also allowed unauthenticated users to execute commands through it using the “root” permissions, according to researcher Friedrich Postelstorfer, who created a proof of concept exploit for the security hole and released it on January 4. The exploit code finally prompted a patch from ASUS on January 13. The company had spent months analyzing the issue and working on a fix. Patch aside, it has been a worrying month for the […]

On the Internet of Things, Cheap may Cost You | VentureBeat

January 12, 2015 Paul Roberts

Venturebeat has a nice, contributed blog post by Michael Daly, of Raytheon on the lurking problem of device insecurity within the consumer Internet of Things. As Daly sees it, mass adoption of Internet of Things technologies seems destined to leave us with environments populated by low-cost and vulnerable devices whose makers don’t consider their wares valuable enough to maintain. From the article: “Offering a constant stream of security patches and updates to keep low-cost devices safe and functional for the long-term requires money. If vulnerabilities are discovered, patches or updates might be issued, but only in the first year or two. The vendor expectation is that users will need to buy a full replacement or live with the risks — not to mention that users are not very likely to manage patches and updates for non-critical devices.” In contrast to the kinds of managed networks we’re used to – with vendors […]

Security Ledger Talks Car Hacking on NPR’s AirTalk

December 9, 2014 Paul Roberts

Just a note to our readers that you can listen to a great conversation on hacking automobiles on Airtalk, a National Public Radio call-in talk show that airs on WPCC, Pasadena, California. Interestingly: the other expert guest on the show was none other than Chris Valasek of IOActive, one of the most recognized researchers on security vulnerabilities in modern automobiles. [Read more Security Ledger coverage of Chris Valasek’s research here.] Chris and I spoke with host Larry Mantle about the current state of affairs with regard to car hacking: what is possible (theoretically), what is practical and what are car makers doing about it. Check out our conversation via KPCC’s web site: The next frontier for computer hackers: Your car | AirTalk | 89.3 KPCC.

Big Data, Security Drive Dell In Post-PC Future

December 9, 2014 Paul Roberts

If you consider how the Internet of Things is transforming the technology industry, one of the most interesting and thought-provoking areas to pay attention to is what we might consider technology “majors” – firms like HP and IBM and Cisco that made their mark (and their hundreds of billions) serving the needs of an earlier generation of technology consumers. How these established technology firms are pivoting to address the myriad challenges posed by the “Internet of Things” tells us a lot about how the IoT market is likely to shake out for consumers and – more pressingly- the enterprise.

A BlackBerry of Smart Glasses? Lenovo Courts Enterprise Wearables Market

November 13, 2014 Paul Roberts

The blog TechBitzz has an interesting write-up from Wednesday on electronics giant Lenovo’s partnership with a 35 person New York City based start-up, Vuzix to create an enterprise-ready equivalent to Google Glass. Vuzix was known as a maker of mounted video eyewear and launched its own smart glasses in December 2013. Earlier in 2014, the two companies struck a deal to have Lenovo sell Vuzix’s M100 as a co-brand. The glasses will run Google’s Android operating system – nothing new there. But what is different is Lenovo and Vuzix’ plans for marketing the device. Rather than target the (small) fan boy and early adopter consumer market, the two companies are focusing on business customers as a natural home for connected wearables like ‘smart’ glasses. Read more Security Ledger coverage of wearables here. Lenovo, it seems, is taking a decidedly less utopian view of wearables – seeing them as a natural replacement for its bulky laptops, […]