For years, a backdoor in popular KiwiSDR product gave root to project developer:
KiwiSDR is hardware that uses a software-defined radio to monitor transmissions in a local area and stream them over the Internet. A largely hobbyist base of users does all kinds of cool things with the playing-card-sized devices. For instance, a user in Manhattan could connect one to the Internet so that people in Madrid, Spain, or Sydney, Australia, could listen to AM radio broadcasts, CB radio conversations, or even watch lightning storms in Manhattan.
On Wednesday, users learned that for years, their devices had been equipped with a backdoor that allowed the KiwiSDR creator—and possibly others—to log in to the devices with administrative system rights. The remote admin could then make configuration changes and access data not just for the KiwiSDR but in many cases to the Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone Black, or other computing devices the SDR hardware is connected to.
(Score: 2) by Reziac on Wednesday July 21 2021, @12:27AM
That's an interesting point. I wonder how much "telemetry" winds up amusing the trolls at, oh, say, Kiwifarms??
And there is no Alkibiades to come back and save us from ourselves.