Category: IoT Control & Security

When it comes to internet of things security issues, the FBI is getting serious. The FBI recently issued a warning that Internet-connected devices are particularly vulnerable to cybercrime. The alert explained that bad cyber actors are actively searching out and exploiting internet of things (IoT) devices (also called smart devices), especially those with weak authentication, unpatched firmware or other software vulnerabilities, or default usernames and passwords. They are then using the devices as proxies to send spam e-mails, muddle network traffic, mask internet browsing, generate click-fraud activities, and sell or…

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Cisco’s cybersecurity arm Cisco Talos has discovered a number of vulnerabilities in the firmware of Samsung’s SmartThings Hub. The device is designed to be controlled using a smartphone app, giving the owner oversight of all connected devices in the home, meaning that any security flaw could have serious consequences. Cisco Talos’ Claudio Bozzato found that the SmartThings Hub was severely compromised. Major vulnerabilities Bozzato discovered firmware vulnerabilities that made it possible for an attacker to take control of the Hub and, by extension, access sensitive information, monitor and control devices…

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SIM Authentication Eliminates Need to Load Device Keys and Tokens at Manufacturing. Soracom, Inc., provider of the leading cloud-native connectivity-as-a-service platform for the Internet of Things (IoT), announced released of its Krypton service, which simplifies and lowers the cost to securely provision connected devices in the field. Krypton uses SIM authentication to identify each unique device the first time it is connected to a cloud service. This allows shipment of devices with a common firmware image to end customers, who can then add unique device information and keys at deployment…

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Security flaws were revealed within the firmware of Samsung‘s SmartThings Hub. Cisco Talos issued a blog on multiple vulnerabilities. As Jeremy Cowan reports, this is not the only IoT security flaw exposed recently. No surprise then, that enterprises are getting twitchy about the security of their future IIoT services. Talos finds Samsung Smart Things vulnerability Cisco Talos has been working with Samsung to ensure that these issues have been resolved and that a firmware update has been made available for affected customers. The hub is a central controller that allows…

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Kerlink, announced plans to expand its presence in Turkey, in partnership with the nationwide IoT network-solutions distributor, NetOP Technology. The Turkish company designs and manufactures more than 60 types of low-power, wide-area network (LPWAN) sensors, and provides end-to-end IoT solutions for vertical markets with its hardware and software. NetOP Technology’s sensors support an extensive range of applications in industrial control, logistics, smart buildings, smart cities, smart agriculture, smart health care and other widely used IoT applications. “Previously, we have had to decline some IoT business opportunities because available solutions did…

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Xage Security, a blockchain security platform provider for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), has raised $12 million in a series A funding round which would be utilised to further develop its security fabric for edge IIoT networks and essential national infrastructure. The funds will help bolster its tech team and fortify its implementation capabilities and expand the scope of its technology, as Xage supports innovations such as decentralised energy production, 5G networking, and smart cities. Xage is currently working with companies like NTT Communications, GE Renewables, and GlobaLogix to…

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In the general clamour surrounding cellular IoT connectivity, it’s easy to overlook some of those key components that may not receive the attention they deserve. One example is the 450 MHz spectrum, currently utilized for 2G and 3G networks around the world. However, as the cellular IoT ecosystem evolves, it is time to understand the potential of 450 MHz. Around the world, legacy 2G and 3G networks at 450 MHz spectrum are being retired at an ever-increasing rate and migrating to 4G and 5G. Consequently, a significant amount of 450…

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Security researchers have warned that hackers could create webpages that rapidly scan for home IoT devices and then take control of them. According to a paper to be presented at the ACM SIGCOMM 2018 Workshop on IoT Security and Privacy in August, security researchers Frank Li of UC Berkeley, and Gunes Acar, Danny Yuxing Huang, Arvind Narayanan, and Nick Feamster of Princeton University, have discovered a faster way of mounting an old attack method, known as DNS rebinding. A DNS rebinding attack happens when a user visits a webpage that…

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AT&T will launch an NB-IoT network in the United States early next year to support IoT connections, according to a press release. “We’ve seen global momentum for LPWA since launching our North American LTE-M network last year,” Chris Penrose, president of IoT Solutions, AT&T, said in a press release. “Adding NB-IoT to our portfolio will expand our LPWA capabilities, help drive investment in our evolution to 5G and support our customers as they deploy IoT solutions across the U.S. and Mexico.” NB-IoT and LTE-M offer longer battery life, coverage extension…

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IoT in the enterprise is revolutionizing many important functions–from security; to energy management; to specialized elements of manufacturing, distribution, automation, monitoring, process control and many other things. But the internet of things itself isn’t really all that new; it’s essentially a catch-all term for the machine-to-machine (M2M), sensor, telemetry and related computing and communications functions that have been hard at work in organizations and beyond for decades. What is new is that IoT unifies all of these capabilities under the IP-protocol umbrella, thus easing application specification, design, implementation, deployment, scaling,…

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