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from the not-even-couch-potatoes-are-safe dept.
A new attack on smart TVs allows a malicious actor to take over devices using rogue DVB-T (Digital Video Broadcasting — Terrestrial) signals, get root access on the smart TV, and use the device for all sorts of nasty actions, ranging from DDoS attacks to spying on end users.
The attack, developed by Rafael Scheel, a security researcher working for Swiss cyber security consulting company Oneconsult, is unique and much more dangerous than previous smart TV hacks.
Until now, all smart TV exploits relied on attackers having physical access to the device, in order to plug in an USB that executes malicious code. Other attacks relied on social engineering, meaning attackers had to trick users into installing a malicious app on their TV.
Even the mighty CIA developed a hacking tool named "Weeping Angel," which could take over Samsung smart TVs and turn them into spying devices. But despite its considerable human and financial resources, the CIA and its operators needed physical access to install Weeping Angel, which made it less likely to be used in mass attacks, and was only feasible if deployed on one target at a time, during carefully-planned operations.
Because of the many constraints that come with physical and social engineering attacks, Scheel didn't consider any of them as truly dangerous, and decided to create his own.
Source: BleepingComputer
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Friday March 31 2017, @08:01PM
Yes, there are security risks associated with just about every technology.
Given the petabytes of extremely sensitive data I store in my home, I put a faraday cage around my town.
What's more, my property is patrolled by M1 tanks and riddled with anti-personnel mines [wikipedia.org].
Just in case, my air-gapped toaster has an extra air gap.
In an attempt to dispel any negative impact to victims of Poe's law, the above is snark.
Nobody except me cares what data I have. A determined hacker with a big enough beef against me (what that might be, I have no idea) could gain physical access to my home and do all kinds of nasty things. Given the actual physical barriers to that, it would be difficult, however.
State level actors (again, why they might target me I have no idea) have numerous other means to gain information about me, and don't really need to bug my house.
Script kiddies are pretty well handled already, IMHO.
And if any of the above really wants to gain access to my data, social engineering would be the best bet for success.
As for the TV, I don't want Vizio collecting data about my viewing habits, so I keep them from obtaining any information -- the steps I took to do so have pretty much immunized me from the hack discussed in TFA.
And if you're so concerned about it, go live completely off the grid. Don't forget to encrypt any letters you might send, and never, ever talk on a telephone! They're listening! What's more, those batteries you bought may be emitting low-level EM radiation to exfiltrate your precious data. So it's best not to use electricity at all. Let's be careful out there!
In the meantime, I'll go on with my life.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr