One of the biggest challenges in the current ecosystem of technological advancements is the overall IoT security necessary to protect IoT devices and applications. As society becomes increasingly interconnected and tethered to an increasing number of cloud hosted smart objects, the vulnerabilities and potential flaws heighten the need for vigilance regarding increased security and vulnerability detection.
The IoT (Internet of Things) is a major technological breakthrough that has been revolutionizing daily lives since its inception. Today, we are able to collect, store, manage, and analyze abundant data to help solve numerous problems and issues. Artificial Intelligence and machine learning applied to IoT applications provide major boosts to finding effective solutions. However, with these positive benefits comes the ability of IoT hacking and the arrival of unprecedented ability to cause real damage. By leveraging information from thousands of interconnected devices, hackers are able to execute DDoS attacks that could cripple entire infrastructures, systems, and processes in life.
Here are some of the worst instances of IoT hacking that reveal the risks & vulnerabilities of the overall IoT security:
Table of Content +
The Mirai Botnet:
This Botnet, also referred to as the Dyn Attack of October 2016, was one of the largest DDoS attacks ever recorded with the help of an IoT Botnet. This attack crippled a major portion of the Internet including leading service providers like Twitter, CNN, Netflix, Reddit, and the Guardian. This IoT Botnet made the attack possible through Mirai malware. Once infected with Mirai, the computer systems started searching for vulnerable IoT devices on the Internet and infected them by exploiting default usernames and logins.
The Cardiac Devices from St. Jude:
The implantable cardiac devices at the St. Jude Medical Center confirmed the presence of vulnerabilities that enabled hackers to get access to the device. These devices, which included defibrillators and pacemakers, could be hacked and cause harm be depleting batteries or administering incorrect shocks.
The Owlet Wi-Fi Baby Heart Monitor:
These devices were launched with the intention of alerting parents when babies experience heart issues. There were tested for IoT vulnerabilities and found to be vulnerable due to the connectivity factor. Connecting these devices makes them highly vulnerable to attacks by hackers that could lead to serious issues.
The TRENDnet Webcam Hack:
TRENDnet has been famous for promoting the specialized SecurView cameras for various functionalities such as home security, baby monitoring, and so forth. However, due to vulnerabilities and faulty software, hackers were able to obtain the IP address of the cameras and spy on owners.
The Jeep Hacking:
In July 2015, a team of hackers were able to control a JEEP SUV by making use of the CAN bus of the vehicle. Through the exploitation of a firmware update vulnerability, the hackers attacked the Sprint cellular network of the Jeep SUV and controlled its activities.
Due to these dangerous IoT attacks, it is high time that software developers pay attention to strengthening the overall IoT security ASAP.
