IoT Devices Are Secretly Phoning Home (thenewstack.io)

An anonymous reader writes: A popular internet-enabled security camera "secretly and constantly connects into a vast peer-to-peer network run by the Chinese manufacturer of the hardware," according to security blogger Brian Krebs. While the device is not necessarily sharing video from your camera, it is punching through firewalls to connect with other devices. Even if the user discovers it, it's still extremely hard to turn off. Krebs notes that the same behavior has been detected in DVRs and smart plugs -- they're secretly connecting to the same IP address in China, apparently without any mention of this in the product's packaging. One security researcher told Krebs the behavior is an "insanely bad idea," and that it opens an attack vector into home networks.

Comments

Have some fun

[PPH]

Set up a honeypot consisting of a Chinese DVR and a bunch of security cams pointing at pictures of Minuteman ICBMs sitting in their silos. Sit back and watch your IP address get hacked.

Re:it's not a secret

[arglebargle_xiv]

You're only saying that because you've never seen "ET Porn Home" in all its VHS glory.

Re:Insanely bad idea?

[bigdavex]

Fuck that, I want my toaster connected to the internet why again?

How else do you think it will keep its antivirus software up-to-date?

Re: Not new

[Anonymous Coward]

Just configure it to phone home so you can update its configuration periodically to cover new IoT devices that phone home....