Tag Archive for: video
How to stop hackers from spying on you through a Ring camera or video doorbell
/in Computer Security
People who use internet-enabled security camera systems like Amazon Ring or Google Nest to keep their homes safe could be opening up their virtual worlds to hackers, or even employees of the companies.
The devices, typically placed on the outside of homes and aimed at entryways, record live footage of who is approaching the premises, with many residents using the technology to deter package thieves and otherwise monitor their homes. But users who don’t properly secure their devices could be inviting criminals to snoop around their digital networks and potentially gain access to reams of sensitive personal data.
In a case highlighting such vulnerabilities, Amazon this week agreed to pay $5.8 million to the Federal Trade Commission to settle allegations it gave its Ring surveillance employees “unfettered” access to personal videos. The agency in its lawsuit also claimed that Amazon failed to protect customer security, leading to hackers threatening or sexually propositioning Ring owners.
Gavin Millard, a cybersecurity expert at Tenable, a firm that alerts clients to tech vulnerabilities, said there are ways to leverage video doorbells and cameras’ security features without exposing one’s private lives and information to bad actors. Here are five ways users of the technology can protect themselves.
Reset default username and password
Never keep the username and password that a home security system assigns you by default. Because they can be easily guessed by hackers, they should be changed immediately, Millard said.
“Often when consumers buy the devices, they don’t change them from their default, insecure configurations,” Millard told CBS MoneyWatch.
Changing this password is crucial because once hackers breach one device, they can explore others that are connected to the same home network. For example, bad actors can use search engine Shodan to scan the whole internet for any connected devices, from webcams to smart lightbulbs.
“I can ask it to show me every single internet-connected camera and try ‘Admin’ and ‘Password’ as the username and password, and you could access the video streams of any that are vulnerable,” he explained.
Two-factor authentication
In…
Security Firm Unciphered Posts a Video Showing a Hack of Trezor T Wallet – 24/7 Wall St.
/in Computer Security
Investing
May 24, 2023 10:12 pm
Last Updated: May 25, 2023 11:40 am
Unciphered, a cybersecurity firm specializing in cryptocurrency recovery, posted a video in which it claims to be able to extract the seed phrase from Satoshi Labs’ Trezor T hardware wallet. The hack, however, requires both the physical possession of the wallet and specialized equipment.
Unciphered Showcases New Vulnerability of Trezor T Hardware Wallet
This Wednesday, a cybersecurity firm called Unciphered posted a video in which it claims to showcase a successful hack of Satoshi Labs’ Trezor T wallet. In the video, the company dismantles the hardware before successfully extracting the mnemonic seed phrase.
Unciphered also claims that there is no way to fix the vulnerability used for the hack other than a recall of all Trezor T wallets. The hack, however, requires the physical possession of the hardware wallet, as well as a set of specialized tools.
The demonstration sparked some speculation that Unciphered merely rediscovered a vulnerability that has been known for years, but the company denied it stating that said issue was patched in 2019. According to the firm, the vulnerability, as well as the method to exploit it have been developed “in-house”.
Hardware Wallet Security Increasingly In Question
Considering that they are designed to keep cryptocurrencies and access codes away from the internet—and, by extension, away from would-be thieves—hardware wallets have long been considered among the safest ways to store digital assets. This reputation even saw them surge in popularity as investors fled from major centralized cryptocurrency firms in the immediate aftermath of the collapse of FTX.
Recent weeks have, however, put a dent in hardware wallets’ reputation for safety. The most high-profile event that caused the new trend has been the announcement of Ledger’s new feature—Ledger Recover. The new feature coming from one of the largest hardware wallet companies sparked fears that they may ultimately have critical vulnerabilities and enable thieves to access investors’ cryptocurrency.
The…