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DJI Threatens Researcher Who Reported Exposed Cert Key, Credentials, and Customer Data (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader quotes Ars Technica:
DJI, the Chinese company that manufactures the popular Phantom brand of consumer quadcopter drones, was informed in September that developers had left the private keys for both the "wildcard" certificate for all the company's Web domains and the keys to cloud storage accounts on Amazon Web Services exposed publicly in code posted to GitHub. Using the data, researcher Kevin Finisterre was able to access flight log data and images uploaded by DJI customers, including photos of government IDs, drivers licenses, and passports. Some of the data included flight logs from accounts associated with government and military domains.
Finisterre found the security error after beginning to probe DJI's systems under DJI's bug bounty program, which was announced in August. But as Finisterre worked to document the bug with the company, he got increasing pushback -- including a threat of charges under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. DJI refused to offer any protection against legal action in the company's "final offer" for the data. So Finisterre dropped out of the program and published his findings publicly yesterday, along with a narrative entitled, "Why I walked away from $30,000 of DJI bounty money."
The company says they're now investigating "unauthorized access of one of DJI's servers containing personal information," adding that "the hacker in question" refused to agree to their terms and shared "confidential communications with DJI employees."
Finisterre found the security error after beginning to probe DJI's systems under DJI's bug bounty program, which was announced in August. But as Finisterre worked to document the bug with the company, he got increasing pushback -- including a threat of charges under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. DJI refused to offer any protection against legal action in the company's "final offer" for the data. So Finisterre dropped out of the program and published his findings publicly yesterday, along with a narrative entitled, "Why I walked away from $30,000 of DJI bounty money."
The company says they're now investigating "unauthorized access of one of DJI's servers containing personal information," adding that "the hacker in question" refused to agree to their terms and shared "confidential communications with DJI employees."
After doing some investigation, I understand why the US Military decided not to allow DJI use any more.
DJI makes some really nice drones (I have a Phantom III Pro). No argument there.
However, their app is a security nightmare. Installing it leaves persistent services running on your phone forever, and those persistent services maintain open network connections to servers in China. With it's extensive list of required permissions, you basically give it complete and total control of your phone.
And the worms ate into his brain.
A significant fraction of available quadcopters use PX4 or it's relatives, DroneCode and Ardupilot. You can buy one ready to fly, or you can do as many PX4 users do and select your own motors, frame, radio, and controller to make exactly the quad you want.
the hacker in question" refused to agree to their terms
Are they fucking serious ??
Look, someone found a serious fuck up by DJI and tried to do the right thing and notify them about it. But, oh-no.. it has to be on DJI's terms.
How stupid are DJI here, they're being done a big favor here, they're not in a position to call the shots and piss on the guy trying to help them with their own fuck up.
What does that teach us? If anyone finds a serious problem with DJI again, they'll remember these ungrateful cunts and say "fuck it, I hope a black hat finds it too" , and then grin like a Cheshire Cat when they do.
And you know what, DJI deserve it.
Ego. And stupidity. And some members of the company not on the same page with other members
Yes. This is a big problem with many companies.
even though I broke the law and violated the TOS of your bug bounty program."
Their bug bounty program specifically said they were looking for: "potential threats related to DJI's servers, apps or hardware."
He found EXACTLY what they said they were looking for, and told them about it.
And, as he pointed out to them, in his response to their threat to prosecute him under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, "you can't find a security problem without first accessing the system".
Just another crooked company run by scumbags.
Kevin Finisterre had previously reported and documented GPL violations to me, which I enforced and got DJI to comply by distributing source for several programs and libraries. I did not charge DJI any money or ask for any proprietary software. One wonders if they have gotten annoyed with Kevin, though.
Bruce Perens.