The number of Internet of Things devices surpassed 13.8 billion in 2021; by 2025, that number is expected to quadruple. However, this massive increase also offers a great number of attack opportunities for threat actors, which presents security experts with a number of issues.

Recently, cybersecurity specialists from different universities  discovered that cybercriminals may hack smart bulbs in order to collect Wi-Fi credentials. The researchers chose the Tp-Link Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Multicolor Light Bulb (L530E) in order to do the Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) on smart bulbs. To do so, they used the PETIoT, a novel IoT-focused Kill Chain (KC) that identifies network vulnerabilities.

Because it is a cloud-enabled multicolor smart bulb, the Tapo L530E may be operated using the Tapo app on an Android or iOS device without the need for a hub. Instead, it connects directly to the home Wi-Fi network. According to the findings of the researchers, this particular kind of smart bulb is susceptible to each of the following four vulnerabilities:

Lack of authentication of the smart bulb with the Tapo app (8.8 CVSS score, High severity)

Hard-coded, short shared secret (7.6 CVSS score, High severity)

Lack of randomness during symmetric encryption (4.6 CVSS score, Medium severity)

Insufficient message freshness (5.7 CVSS score, Medium severity)

The examination and testing carried out by the security experts indicate the proximity-based attacks that were carried out on the smart bulb that was the target.The attack scenario that causes the greatest concern is one in which an attacker impersonates a bulb and retrieves information about a Tapo user account by exploiting vulnerabilities.

After that, the attacker may extract the victim’s WiFi SSID and password by using the Tapo app, allowing them to obtain access to any and all other devices that are connected to the victim’s network.

In order for the attack to be successful, the device in question must first be put into setup mode. However, the attacker has the ability to deauthenticate the bulb, which will need the user to re-configure it in order to get the light to work again.The researchers also investigated an MITM (Man-In-The-Middle) attack using a configured Tapo L530E device. This form of attack takes advantage of a vulnerability to intercept and control the connection between the app and the bulb, as well as to capture the RSA encryption keys that are used for further data transmission.

MITM attacks are also possible with unconfigured Tapo devices by leveraging a vulnerability once again by connecting to the WiFi during the setup process, bridging two networks, and routing discovery messages. This will eventually allow the attacker to retrieve Tapo passwords, SSIDs, and WiFi passwords in an easily decipherable base64 encoded form. Last but not least, a further flaw enables attackers to conduct what are known as “replay attacks.” These attacks involve recreating communications that have been sniffed in the past in order to bring about functional changes in the device.

In addition, the security analyst have previously alerted TP-Link about these discoveries in relation to their product the “Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Multicolor Light Bulb (L530E).”

In response, TP-Link gave the researchers their assurance that the issues that were found in their software as well as the firmware of the bulb will be fixed.

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We’re talking about unhackable devices: Morpheus processor, USB EyeDisk and Google Titan key. Arrested “The H-1” bank hackers in Mexico and Microsoft with updates.

Below are the links of the cyber security news.

1. USB device ‘inhakeable’ has been hacked by experts

2. Morpheus, the “impossible to hack” processor

3. Arrest hackers in Mexico; they stole 40 MDD from local banks

4. Security problems in Titan, Google’s Bluetooth security key

5. Critical vulnerability in Microsoft remote desktop services; update now

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The Japanese government claims that the vast majority of these attacks originated abroad

According to network security and ethical hacking specialists from the International Institute of Cyber Security, in 2018 the number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and cryptocurrency platforms hacked in Japan increased by almost twice the number registered in the year 2017.

The data collected by Japanese police agencies show an average of 2700 hacking incidents in general detected per day during the past year, an increase of about 45% compared to 2017. According to Japan’s government network security experts, most of these attacks originated outside of Japanese territory.

However, if only attacks against cryptocurrency platforms and IoT devices are considered, the figures show an increase of almost 100%, from 875 to 1700 attacks recorded per day; This is a trend that has only been detected in Japan. “These are the highest figures we have recorded since 2016,” said government officials from Japan.

With regard to the origin of the attacks, network security specialists claim that 20% of these incidents originated in Russia, 14% in China, 12% in the United States, and the remaining average in different countries. The investigators say that less than 2% of the attacks originated in Japanese territory.

Some specialized platforms in cryptocurrency mention that the Japanese authorities have received thousands of allegations of course money laundering through virtual assets, this while some of the most important banks in Japan work in the implementation of a distributed accounting service.

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Several malware variants showed significant growth this year

According to cybersecurity specialists from the International Institute of Cyber Security, the amount of malicious software that affects Internet of Things (IoT) devices grew 72% in total this year. As for the malware in general, its presence increased by 200% with respect to the amount registered during the last year.

Cybersecurity experts believe that this behavior is mainly due to the increase in the practice of cryptojacking. A wide range of IoT devices, such as surveillance cameras or routers, had not been used for this kind of attacks because they did not have the characteristics and processing features of a laptop or desktop computer.

However, multiple malicious actors have opted to exploit the huge number of IoT devices that lack adequate security measures and began attacking them to create a gigantic illegal cryptocurrency mining network. Some new varieties of mining malware reported growth of 55% in addition; this type of attack to mine virtual assets grew 4000% during 2018.

Cybersecurity experts also reported a transition in the type of business that the cybercriminals do, as many have opted to create their own malicious tools and services. This change has brought with it a new business model for those who trade this kind of services outside the law.

“The cybercriminals are always looking for new areas of opportunity,” considers John Fokker, an expert in cybersecurity. “The big cyberthreats we know today began as small projects in some hidden Internet forums,” the expert mentions.

Among other data found this year, is the increase of attacks with malware that does not require files, which presents a 45% more than the previous year. In addition, the total number of publicly reported security incidents decreased by 12%, while the number of cyberattacks committed against financial institutions increased by 20 %. As for the regions of the world that suffered the most cyberattacks, this year the number of incidents recorded in Europe grew by 38%, while the figure for the American continent fell 18%, while in the Asia-Pacific region they fell by 22%.

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This law will establish a cybersecurity standard for IoT manufacturers

Jerry Brown, Governor of California, signed last Friday a bill to regulate cybersecurity standards for devices connected to the Internet, establishing that the California government has the most demanding standards in the country concerning the technology known as the Internet of Things (IoT).

The bill (SB 327) will require manufacturers a “reasonable level of cybersecurity” on IoT devices, defined in the document as “any device that can be connected to the Internet with a Bluetooth connection or an Internet Protocol (IP)”. Digital forensics specialists from the International Institute of Cyber Security mention that as of January 1st, 2020, these devices will be required to have pre-loaded passwords or newly generated passwords before they can be accessed for the first time.

Cybersecurity experts often refer to IoT devices as easy-to-access targets for hackers. A report published in August by a digital forensics firm found that many users of Internet-connected devices that control public infrastructure systems do not change the factory default passwords on those devices, which may cause malicious agents to be able to find them and access them relatively easily.

This bill has not been exempt from criticism. “It is unclear how companies will be able to comply with the Californian law”, said Francis Dinha, CEO and co-founder of the OpenVPN software company. Dinha said many IoT device manufacturers lack the knowledge and resources needed to enforce the new California standards. “The most specific requirements, such as two-factor authentication (2FA) or the use of a VPN, would also help, but would not solve the root problem, which resides in the education and training that users require”.

Even with the short and medium-term drawbacks, the digital forensics expert believes that SB 327 is better than the Federal Smart IoT Act and the DIGIT Act, two bills that are currently being considered in the US Congress and with which lawmakers propose to demand studies and reports of the IoT devices available on the market, but without really impacting the regulation of this technology.

Last June, California had already passed a data privacy law, considered by many to be the strictest in the country. This law orders to stop any practice of collecting and selling personal data at the express request of the consumer.

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