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Submitted via IRC for Bytram
One of Amazon's top-selling electronic gun safes contains a critical vulnerability that allows it to be opened by virtually anyone, even when they don't know the password.
The Vaultek VT20i handgun safe, ranked fourth in Amazon's gun safes and cabinets category, allows owners to electronically open the door using a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone app. The remote unlock feature is supposed to work only when someone knows the four- to eight-digit personal identification number used to lock the device. But it turns out that this PIN safeguard can be bypassed using a standard computer and a small amount of programming know-how.
As the video demonstration below shows, researchers with security firm Two Six Labs were able to open a VT20i safe in a matter of seconds by using their MacBook Pro to send specially designed Bluetooth data while it was in range. The feat required no knowledge of the unlock PIN or any advanced scanning of the vulnerable safe. The hack works reliably even when the PIN is changed. All that's required to make it work is that the safe have Bluetooth connectivity turned on.
[...] The vulnerability means that anyone who relies on a VT20i safe to secure valuables should immediately turn off Bluetooth connectivity and leave it off indefinitely. Safes can still be locked and unlocked using a traditional physical key, as well as by owners' fingerprints. Some Amazon customers, however, have complained the fingerprint feature is flawed as well.
[It's not clear from the story if the issue can be patched. - Ed]
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday December 11 2017, @12:29PM (4 children)
I'll grant you that last one. The first should be taken care of by putting the necessary educational effort into assuring your descendants do not receive a Darwin Award once they're old enough and by taking advantage of height differential until then.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 11 2017, @02:08PM
never rely on the height difference, if you care about the kid involved.
my son started stacking stuff when he was around two. in the sense of a kid chair on top of a bag of megablocks (kind of like legos, but bigger), etc.
much safer to have a locked door that he can pull/kick and bite ineffectively.
(Score: 2) by schad on Monday December 11 2017, @04:00PM (1 child)
The security onion. I use it on my computer. I also use it on firearms, which can, unlike my computer, be used -- by a malicious or ignorant user -- to cause permanent harm.
Don't underestimate the ingenuity of small humans, the majority of whom are literally incapable of gun safety until four or five (if not later). But they are absolutely capable of physically getting at any unsecured weapon well before then, as another commenter noted.
Another reason for a gun safe is for travel. Not only do many states require it by law when in a vehicle, you may also find yourself in a situation where you're not able to carry your firearm and need a safe place to keep it for a while.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 11 2017, @04:19PM
Too big a dose of reality for TMB's personal responsibility routine. Can't we just label people idiots every time something bad happens?
(Score: 2) by Virindi on Monday December 11 2017, @05:19PM
Once again:
You cannot control the training level of every child (and adult) in the world, and reasonable people will not want to exclude guests from visiting their home merely because they failed to meet a firearms training level. Thus, any weapons not under your direct control should be stored in a way that makes them not accessible to casual operation (stopping a determined thief is more difficult and may be impractical).
Unless you never have guests in your home...