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posted by janrinok on Thursday September 12 2019, @01:19PM   Printer-friendly
from the it's-a-gas-gas-gas dept.

Submitted via IRC for SoyCow2718

IoT security: Now dark web hackers are targeting internet-connected gas pumps

Cyber criminals are increasingly turning their attention to hacking Internet of Things devices as connected products proliferate – and there's one smart device in particular that is catching hackers' attention. While routers remain the top target for IoT-based cyberattacks, there's a lot of discussion in underground forums about compromising internet-connected gas pumps. This new target was uncovered by by researchers at Trend Micro, which carried out an examination of dark web marketplaces in five different languages – Russian, Portuguese, English, Arabic, and Spanish.

One way this is already being achieved is by hackers selling modified smart meters, following on from Russian government legislation mandating that all electricity meters in the country should be replaced by online smart meters. Criminals are already modifying the firmware of these devices – although currently these alterations appear to be based around exploiting the devices to trick them into recording lower readings, meaning users will have lower bills.

However, users of Russian underground forums are also requesting information on how to hack gas pumps, with tutorials available on the inner workings of commercial pumps, including those with programmable logic controllers. These controllers are often found in factories and other industrial environments and can be used to help with managing equipment remotely.

Researchers also note that posts on gas pump hacking also frequently appear in Portuguese language forums, even featuring an in-depth, step-by-step technical tutorial on how to hack gas pumps for Brazilian users. In one case, a user demonstrates how they were able to remotely change the name of a pump.

While it's possible that these attacks are being discussed for similar reasons to those on smart meters – to receive resources at a cheaper price – it's entirely possible that gas pumps could be compromised for more destructive purposes.


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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by Sourcery42 on Thursday September 12 2019, @07:44PM (1 child)

    by Sourcery42 (6400) on Thursday September 12 2019, @07:44PM (#893289)

    It is an American thing. These screens are totally separate from the digital clock looking ones with the cues on how to use the pump, volume pumped, and cost. These are more like someone embedded a small tablet in the pump. The things will run weather, entertainment news and stuff like that trying to act like they're some sort of TV network. I suppose that's supposed to make you feel less like you're a captive audience that's being exploited. I know there's ads for stuff found in the station, but I'm pretty sure they also run some commercials like you'd see in a normal TV spot too.

    Do you have digital advertising hanging over the urinals in your pubs across the Atlantic Sea yet? Because that's a thing here now too. They've been popping up all over the place since the last time I set foot on European soil.

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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by looorg on Thursday September 12 2019, @10:44PM

    by looorg (578) on Thursday September 12 2019, @10:44PM (#893398)

    Do you have digital advertising hanging over the urinals in your pubs across the Atlantic Sea yet? Because that's a thing here now too. They've been popping up all over the place since the last time I set foot on European soil.

    I have seen it in some "sports bars", so you don't miss the game(s). But it's not common beyond that as far as I know.