Haunted hardware: Unmasking IoT vulnerabilities

The threat landscape for IoT devices is becoming increasingly concerning as more devices are being connected to the internet, leaving them vulnerable to attacks. Threat actors have taken advantage of lax security measures and patching difficulties in these devices, leading to numerous high-profile incidents such as pacemaker recalls, Jeep Cherokee vulnerabilities, and Schneider Electric power meter exploits. The prevalence of IoT devices, combined with their widespread use in trusted environments, makes them a prime target for hackers. Common attacks include remote code execution, botnets, and physical tampering, which can have devastating consequences, such as disrupting critical infrastructure or compromising sensitive information. However, companies are beginning to engage with crowdsourced hardware hackers who can help fortify IoT defenses by identifying vulnerabilities and working with device manufacturers to patch them before threat actors do.