Tag Archive for: drones

Invisible Drones and Mouse Jack Exploit Computer Security


In an era where technological advancements seemingly know no bounds, a new breed of cyber threats has emerged, utilizing the power of invisible drones and the sneaky technique known as Mouse Jack. These covert infiltrators pose a grave risk to computer security, breaching systems with lightning speed and precision. The drones, capable of maneuvering where humans cannot, silently fly through fortified perimeters, entering buildings through open windows, and wreaking havoc on computer networks. With the aid of the Mouse Jack vulnerability, hackers can exploit wireless adapters found in numerous devices, using forged signals to gain unauthorized access to computers within a matter of seconds.

The use of drones in hacking operations provides a distinct advantage over traditional methods. Their small size and agility enable them to bypass physical barriers and swiftly navigate to targeted areas, often going unnoticed. By leveraging zero-click attacks like Mouse Jack, these drones execute their mission seamlessly without interrupting their flight. This technique targets the wireless adapters of widely-used devices such as mice and keyboards, taking advantage of the unsafe wireless radio interface of the NRF 24L chip. Unbeknownst to many users, this vulnerability allows hackers to forge signals, imitating legitimate devices and granting them undetectable access to their victims’ computers.

NRF 24L Module

To combat this rising threat landscape, the importance of robust anti-fraud solutions cannot be overstated. Companies like Samsung have recognized the exponential growth in cybercriminals’ capabilities and sophistication, developing comprehensive compliance solutions to protect businesses and their reputations. These solutions combine various cutting-edge technologies, including transaction monitoring, email and phone verification, anti-fraud systems, and pixel analysis. By investing in these proactive measures, individuals and organizations can fortify their defenses against unseen threats, securing their digital lives in an increasingly interconnected world. It is imperative that we remain vigilant and embrace advancements responsibly, while actively safeguarding ourselves against the shadowy…

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Surge in Singapore-linked ‘botnet drones’, used by cyber criminals to hack into household devices, says report | Singapore


An annual report of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore said that there had been a general increase in cyber threats in Singapore. — Freestocks/Unsplash pic via TODAY
An annual report of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore said that there had been a general increase in cyber threats in Singapore. — Freestocks/Unsplash pic via TODAY

SINGAPORE, July 8 — As more people worked from home last year and more businesses went digital, the authorities detected a sharp rise in botnet drones with Singapore internet protocol (IP) addresses, signalling that hackers are stepping up their attacks on home and office devices that are hooked up to the internet.

These could include everything from mobile phones and laptops to baby monitors and smoke detectors, experts said, warning that the rise in such attacks means that users should be more vigilant about the security of their devices.

Ali Fazeli, an information security officer at Singapore-based Infinity Forensics, said that a botnet is a “network or collection of internet connected devices that are infected by malware and remotely controlled by the hacker”.

He said that a botnet drone (not a flying device) is a “computer malware that first infects and compromises the target computer and then connects the target computer into the botnet network”.

The near trebling of detected botnet drones with Singapore IP addresses — up from 2,300 daily in 2019 to 6,600 daily in 2020 on average — was one finding of an annual report by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) on the cyber landscape here. The report was released on Thursday (July 8).

An IP address allows computers to send and receive information and can be used to identify a computer’s location.

Aside from botnet drones, CSA reported a steep increase in other types of cyber threats such as ransomware and online scams last year.

CSA’s computer emergency response team saw a total of 9,080 cases in 2020 that were related to cyber threats such as ransomware incidents and online scams. Comparatively, there were 8,491 cases in 2019 and 4,977 cases in 2018.

Botnet drones and servers

Last year, CSA observed 1,026 malicious command and control servers hosted in Singapore — a 94 per cent jump from the 530 command and control servers reported in 2019. These servers are used alongside botnet drones by cyber criminals.

Gary Gardiner,…

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The changing face of warfare: why Nato needs to talk about unmanned combat drones


The advancement of unmanned combat drones in several leading nations must be addressed by Nato, senior academics and defence analysts have said.

Alliance chiefs meet on Monday when the growing menace of armed drones programmed with artificial intelligence may not feature high on the agenda, but cannot be ignored for much longer.

Countries such as Turkey, Russia, Britain, China and the US are developing advanced unmanned aircraft that can select humans or fixed military targets and launch missiles without a living being’s command. That creates moral, legal and strategic questions.

Although the communique is likely to welcome Washington’s re-engagement and condemn Nato’s adversaries, defence experts told The National the drone issue needs to be discussed.

Joe Biden, while serving as US vice president, speaks to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016. Getty Images
Joe Biden, while serving as US vice president, speaks to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016. Getty Images

“Autonomous armed drones are absolutely something that Nato can’t ignore any more,” Dr Julie Norman of University College London said. “From what we’ve heard it’s something that’s going to be a part of the conversation. Leaders are looking at the Nato 2030 initiative with a view to the new technological changes and threats.”

Putin will very much want to see what’s going on behind Biden’s eyes

Dr Alan Mendoza

The ease with which Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aircraft took out Syrian tanks and Armenian armour last year was an “eye-popping” evolution on the battlefield, defence expert Prof Michael Clarke told The National. “Armed drones are a serious issue and their success has done Turkey’s military reputation no end of good. But it has also started to change the balance of thinking about ground forces in Europe.”

One problem is that not all Nato partners favour the autonomous killing machines and Germany in particular has taken a hard line. Jack Watling, of the Royal United Services Institute think tank, said the Germans were “locking themselves out” of a system that could take out enemy radars and missiles.

“But for how long the Germans can hold their…

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Key Takeaways from Federal R&D Workshop Focused on 5G Testing and Use Cases for Drones and Smart Warehouses | Wiley Rein LLP


On April 27 and 28, 2021, the Networking & Information Technology Research-Development (NITRD), Advanced Wireless Test Platform (AWTP), and Federal Mobility Group (FMG) hosted a Workshop on the FMG’s Framework to Conduct 5G Testing (Framework), published last November. The purpose of the webinar was to “provide an overview of the process and the testing framework elements needed to conduct 5G testing for different use cases.” The workshop focused on two selected federal 5G use cases: unmanned aircraft systems (UAS or drones) and smart warehouses.

Below, we highlight several key takeaways from the workshop. 

First, the Framework aims to guide federal agencies in establishing 5G testing capabilities suited to their needs through either: (1) building or leasing a testbed from a carrier-grade equipment manufacturer; (2) using existing external labs and testbeds (e.g., a federal lab, university lab, or in coordination with DoD); or (3) through some combination of the two. 

Second, the National Science Foundation (NSF) is focused on how the Government is using both testbeds and data-driven research to support 5G use and innovation. NSF recently issued a Request For Information on dataset needs “to conduct research on computer and network systems,” with comments due by May 21.

Third, the FMG’s Mobile Security Working Group is focused on FISMA mobility metrics to drive key technologies like mobile threat defense, which aims to advance the overall security posture of the federal government on mobile platforms. 

Fourth, within NITRD and the AWTP there is a Wireless Spectrum R&D interagency working group (WSRD) that has been involved in the whole-of-government effort under the National Strategy to Secure 5G Implementation Plan’s Line of Effort 1.1, to assist with “[r]esearch, development, and testing to reach and maintain United States leadership in secure 5G and beyond.” WSRD’s work related to this Line of Effort remains ongoing.

5G Use Case: Drones

The workshop included several UAS use case panels, which discussed the use of cellular frequencies for drone operations and UAS Traffic Management (UTM) issues.

Christopher Nassif, from the Federal Aviation…

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