Researchers have discovered a pair of vulnerabilities that allow unauthorized code execution in a robotic vacuum.
A robot vacuum cleaner sure makes cleaning floors easier, but it may also ease the load for those looking to eavesdrop on private conversations. That's the conclusion of researchers at Positive Technologies, who found that they could compromise the Dongguan Diqee 360 robotic vacuum to turn it into a mobile surveillance device.
Researchers found a pair of vulnerabilities, one accessible to remote attackers and one that requires physical contact with the machine. The remote vulnerability would allow an outsider to gain superuser privileges on the device, giving them the ability to run unauthorized software. The physical contact vulnerability exploits the mechanism for doing firmware updates and allows an unauthorized user to insert a microSD card containing unauthorized code.
In either case, the unauthorized code could use the physical capabilities of the robot and spread laterally inside the network firewall to gain access to cameras and microphones. Then it could use the robot as a hub for distributing the information to the attacker or even turn the robotic vacuum into a node on a botnet.
Black Hat USA returns to Las Vegas with hands-on technical Trainings, cutting-edge Briefings, Arsenal open-source tool demonstrations, top-tier security solutions and service providers in the Business Hall. Click for information on the conference and to register.
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like
Beyond Spam Filters and Firewalls: Preventing Business Email Compromises in the Modern Enterprise
April 30, 2024Key Findings from the State of AppSec Report 2024
May 7, 2024Is AI Identifying Threats to Your Network?
May 14, 2024Where and Why Threat Intelligence Makes Sense for Your Enterprise Security Strategy
May 15, 2024Safeguarding Political Campaigns: Defending Against Mass Phishing Attacks
May 16, 2024
Black Hat USA - August 3-8 - Learn More
August 3, 2024Cybersecurity's Hottest New Technologies: What You Need To Know
March 21, 2024