smart home lock

Major Security Vulnerabilities in Smart Home Devices Could Allow Hackers to Unlock Doors

A now-discontinued smart home hub had flaws that allowed researchers to hack into the device without even knowing the plain-text password put in place by the owner.

Confirming the worst fears of homeowners everywhere, two security researchers have discovered several vulnerabilities in a recently discontinued smart-home hub, including the ability to unlock front doors remotely using SSH keys.

In research published Tuesday, Chase Dardaman and Jason Wheeler detail how they were able to exploit three major security flaws in a smart home hub called ZipaMacro. The pair did not publish their findings until the issues were fixed by Zipato, the firm that sells the hub.

The vulnerabilities, first reported by TechCrunch, included the ability to extract the hub’s private SSH key from the memory card on the hub. Wheeler was able to get a hold of the “root” key — the account with the highest level of access that allows anyone to access a device without needing a password.

The researchers later found that the private SSH key was coded into every smart hub sold to customers, putting everyone who owned the product at risk of being hacked, according to TechCrunch.

Using the key, they were able to download a file from the device containing scrambled passwords to the hub. As they tried to access the hub, they realized that the product used a “pass-the-hash” authentication system, TechCrunch reported. This system doesn’t require a specific plain-text password — just the scrambled version.

In turn, Wheeler and Dardaman could take the scrambled password and use it to unlock the smart hub, effectively getting around the security measures put in place by Zipato. A savvy attacker could do the same, easily locking and unlocking doors using a simple script sending a command to the smart hub.

After reviewing the research, Kevin Bocek, vice president of security strategy and threat intelligence at machine identity protection provider Venafi, called smart home controllers using the same hardcoded SSH identity a “massive security risk.”

“In this case, an attacker with access to the scrambled version of the SSH key instantly gets access to every device; it’s like winning an exploit jackpot,” Bocek said. “It can literally provide attackers with the ability to unlock your home.”

Hacking into the hub would require an attacker to be on the same WiFi network as the device, the researchers found. However, any devices connected directly to the internet would have been vulnerable to attacks.

Zipato fixed the flaws within a few weeks of learning of them from the researchers and has since discontinued the product in favor of newer products, TechCrunch reported. But the vulnerabilities are still concerning given the popularity of smart home devices around the world. Nearly 36 million such devices will be sold in the United States alone in 2019, according to an estimate from Statista.

Bocek said most organizations do not understand the risks connected with SSH keys, leading them to make mistakes that they then have to scramble to fix.

“We’ve seen the same kinds of problems in the Emergency Response system in the U.S. and we know that one in four Amazon clouds has a backdoor with SSH keys,” Bocek said. “The scale of this problem is enormous; every IoT device, cloud service and container has a key that cyber attackers are more than willing to exploit.”

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • AI to Help Resolve Non-Emergency Calls Across Utah and Decrease 911 Caller Wait Times

    The Utah Communications Authority (UCA), which oversees the state’s next generation 911 technology services, recently announced that public safety answering points (PSAPs) throughout the state plan to implement Motorola Solutions’ Virtual Response technology to automate the receipt and resolution of 10-digit non-emergency line calls in Utah with the help of AI. Read Now

  • Report Reveals Local Governments Face Surge in Ransomware Attacks with Minimal Resources

    KnowBe4, the cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, recently released new research highlighting the critical cybersecurity challenges facing state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments. The report details how government organizations have become prime targets for cybercriminals while simultaneously facing severe resource constraints. Read Now

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

New Products

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.