“Fire Danger Rating” on “High” in Security Climate

November was a scary month in California. After four years of drought, the forests and towns in the northern part of the state exploded into wildfires, displacing thousands of residents and destroying millions of dollars of property. The foul air in San Francisco and the surrounding areas was a...

Parrot Security 4.4 - Security GNU/Linux Distribution Designed with Cloud Pentesting and IoT Security in Mind

Parrot 4.4 is now available for download. This release provides security and stability updates and is the starting point for the plan to develop an LTS edition of Parrot. Parrot 4.4 Development Goals The Parrot 4.4 development process involved the ideas of many people in the community, and the go...

Stopping the Infiltration of Things

The Internet of Things – connected devices that contain network sensors to allow for remote monitoring and control, are expected to hit 75-billion devices installed by 2025. These devices include everything from home routers, remote cameras to healthcare devices. This wide-ranging...

My precious: security, privacy, and smart jewelry

Emery was staring at her computer screen for almost an hour, eyes already lackluster as the full-page ad on Motiv looped once more. She was contemplating whether she'd give in and get her boyfriend Ben a new fitness tracker as a present for his upcoming marathon. The phone app he was currently...

Podcast: IoT Firms Face a ‘Tidal Wave' of Lawsuits, Attorney Explains

When it comes to IoT security, legal action is “a matter of when not if.” That’s according to Ijay Palansky, an attorney in Armstrong Teasdale’s Litigation practice group. Palansky represented plaintiffs and class members who alleged in the infamous 2015 Jeep hacking class-action lawsuit that the...

Flogging a dead smart horse

Connected stuff is getting everywhere, even in to managing the health of your connected horse. Yes, really. One Friday afternoon after PTP lunchtime drinks in the pub, we bought an ‘Orscana’ horse tracking device. It sat on the shelf for 13 months until after another session in the pub over lunch...

The Danger and Opportunity in 5G Connectivity and IoT

There is a lot of buzz building over fifth-generation mobile networks 5G and how they will revolutionize the fast-growing numbers of internet-connected devices — but what about security? What makes 5G so closely tied to billions of Internet of Things IoT devices is its speed 5G is expected to be ...

AWS FreeRTOS Bugs Allow Compromise of IoT Devices

Researchers have found that a popular Internet of Things real-time operating system – FreeRTOS – is riddled with serious vulnerabilities. The bugs could allow hackers to crash connected devices in smart homes or critical infrastructure systems, leak information from the devices’ memory, and take...

Critical Flaws Found in Amazon FreeRTOS IoT Operating System

A security researcher has discovered several critical vulnerabilities in one of the most popular embedded real-time operating systems—called FreeRTOS—and its other variants, exposing a wide range of IoT devices and critical infrastructure systems to hackers. What is FreeRTOS Amazon, WHIS OpenRTOS...

Critical Flaws Found in Amazon FreeRTOS IoT Operating System

A security researcher has discovered several critical vulnerabilities in one of the most popular embedded real-time operating systems—called FreeRTOS—and its other variants, exposing a wide range of IoT devices and critical infrastructure systems to hackers. What is FreeRTOS Amazon, WHIS OpenRTOS...

Calif. Law Takes Aim at Weak IoT Passwords

In a first of its kind law, California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill that bans the use of default “admin” passwords on internet-connected devices sold in the state and requires manufacturers use strong passwords instead. California has been taking aggressive legislative action in 2018 to...

Speaking at TEDx

I was privileged enough to be invited to speak at a TEDx event in Dornbirn, Austria. I speak at 2-3 events per week, with audiences from 25-2500 people, so why did this one make me nervous? I don’t get nervous before speaking in public. Lots of practice and plenty of material to work with usually...

Apache Struts & SonicWall’s GMS exploits key targets of Mirai & Gafgyt IoT malware

By Waqas Security researchers at Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 have discovered modified versions of the notorious Mirai and Gafgyt Internet of Things IoT malware. The malware have the capability of targeting flaws that affect Apache Struts and SonicWall Global Management System GMS. Moreover, the...

Taking Stock: The Internet of Things, and Machine Learning Algorithms at War

It’s in the news every day; hackers targeting banks, hospitals, or, as we’ve come to fear the most, elections. Suffice to say then that cybersecurity has, in the last few years, gone from a relatively obscure industry – let's qualify that: not in the sense of importance, but rather how folks have...

The Risk of IoT Security Complacency

Trend Micro recently surveyed 1,150 IT executives globally. We found a gap between the perceived risk from IoT and the planned mitigation for that risk. Most senior executives recognize that IoT can introduce security risk to the organization, but few will invest resources to remediate that risk...

Newsmaker Interview: Derek Manky on ‘Self-Organizing Botnet Swarms’

For over five years Derek Manky, global security strategist at Fortinet and FortiGuard Labs, has been helping the private and public sector identify and fight cybercrime. His job also includes working with noted groups: Computer Emergency Response, NATO NICP, INTERPOL Expert Working Group and the...

Back to Basics: Why We Need to Encourage More Secure IoT Development

The Internet of Things IoT is radically reshaping the way we live and work. Before our very eyes, organizations are becoming more agile, efficient and cost effective to run, all while consumers marvel at the wonders of the smart home, fitness trackers and connected cars. There’s just one major...

Belkin IoT Smart Plug Flaw Allows Remote Code Execution in Smart Homes

A vulnerability in a popular Wi-Fi–connected electric outlet for smart homes would allow a remote attacker to take over smart TVs and other devices, as well as execute code – potentially exposing tens of thousands of consumers to cryptomining, ransomware, information disclosure, botnet enslavemen...

PTP, IoT & the Norwegian Government

We were privileged to be invited to speak an event in Arendal, Norway yesterday to make the case for IoT regulation. 'Arendalsuka' is the largest political gathering in Norway, an open forum event where the public can interact directly with political leaders, business leaders, entrepreneurs,...

Black Hat Exclusive Video: The IoT Security Threat Looms for Enterprises

IoT devices are everywhere – from connected smart-home gadgets to industrial IoT systems. And it’s not stopping anytime soon – consumer IoT spending is set to reach $62 billion in 2018, making it the fourth largest industry segment, according to market research firm IDC. Many of these IoT devices...