Saturday, September 7, 2013

Webcam maker takes ftcs heat for internet-of-things security failure

The us federal trade commission on wednesday announced a settlement with trendnet over its lax security practices. The action stemmed from privacy invasions that occurred in january 2012, when hackers posted live feeds to firmly the net from nearly 700 cameras created from the company.

Right away, were doing enforcement, since you will see due to trendnet case, ftc spokesperson peter kaplan told technewsworld.

The incident gave trendnet an chance to firmly improve best practices and augment product security, the corporate aforementioned within the statement. On changing into mindful of the 2012 hacks, it released a firmware update to firmly rectify the vulnerability, stopped product shipments, and updated all affected models. It too dedicated substantive resources to firmly notify customers.

Spokesperson tamika harrison declined to firmly offer any details.

What happened at trendnet

trendnet marketed its securview cameras for varied uses ranging from home security to firmly baby monitoring and claimed these were secure, the ftc aforementioned. Though, these had faulty software that let anyone who obtained a cameras ip address look through it -- and typically listen furthermore.

Any, from a minimum of april 2010, trendnet transmitted user login credentials in clear, readable text over the online, and its mobile apps regarding the cameras stored customers login info in clear, readable text onto their mobile devices, the ftc aforementioned.

It's basic security apply to firmly secure ip addresses against hacking and to firmly encrypt login credentials or a minimum of password-protect them, and trendnets failure there is to do thus was stunning.

Its necessary for device manufacturers to firmly contemplate the entire security lifecycle, from inception to firmly design and deployment, and accomplish that continuously once their product is within the whole market, philip desautels, vice president of technology at xively.
The walk of punishment

trendnets settlement prohibits it from misrepresenting the security of its cameras and the security, privacy, confidentiality or integrity of the data that its devices transmit.

Any, it can't misrepresent consumer management within the security of knowledge the devices store, capture, access or transmit ; it should notify customers concerning security problems along with the cameras and also the availability associated with a firmware update ; and this should offer customers with free tech support for updating or uninstalling their cameras for future 2 years.

Finally, trendnet should establish a comprehensive info security program designed to firmly address security risks that might let hackers access or use its devices ; shield the security, confidentiality and integrity of knowledge stored, captured, accessed or transmitted by its devices ; and jump third-party security audits biennially for future 20 years.
Frail grasp on the large picture

The hacking of trendnets cameras is merely the tip as to the iceberg as the planet moves toward total connectivity within the whole internet of things, that forms the premise for ibms smarter planet initiative. The iot can link automobiles, household appliances, mobile devices just concerning everything else that accesses the net.

Cybercriminals and pranksters could possibly have a field day when iot reaches important mass.

Invasion of privacy is merely one aspect as to the security challenge around the online of things, jarad carleton, principal analyst at frost & sullivan, told technewsworld. Cybercriminals will certainly be able to hack web-connected front door locks, and pranksters may flip by the air conditioning associated with a house in mid-winter or flip lights on or off, by way of example.
Potential solutions

The very best practices regarding the iot are commonplace apply since the late nineties, kevin obrien, enterprise resolution architect at cloudlock, told technewsworld.

Dont overconnect your systems, dont trust a locally compromised or accessible device, and do subject your code and hardware to firmly third-party penetration testing, each in blackbox and whitebox variants, obrien continued.

The ftc can hold a public workshop nov. 19 by the iot to firmly explore the queries of consumer privacy and security, the commissions kaplan aforementioned.

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