- An IoT company has suffered a great data violation, experts warn.
- The leak presented a Mars Hydro Databse contains almost 2.7 billion records
- The records were mainly made up of Wi -Fi and information from the network device.
Mars Hydro, a Chinese company that produces a variety of internet devices of things (IoT), such as LED lights and hydroponical equipment, has undergone massive data violation after an unprotected database that contains almost 2.7 billion Records was discovered online.
Security researcher Jeremiah Fowler identified the database protected by no steps, which included WiFi network names, passwords, IP addresses, device numbers and more.
Users of these products should keep in mind that there may be a risk that the details of their Wi -Fi networks are compromised, and there could be national security implications if information falls into the wrong hands. Although the researcher does not suggest that no personal identification information has been exposed, users must still understand the risks, this is what we know.
Vulnerable devices
Many of the products are controlled by devices connected to the Internet (such as smartphones), and the information about these was included in the violation. It is not yet clear if the database is managed or owned directly by the solutions of Mars Hydro and LG led, or if this was executed through a third -party contractor.
There are privacy and safety concerns of devices and, as Fowler points out, an earlier report estimated that ‘57% of IoT devices were considered highly vulnerable, and 98% of the data transmitted by these devices are not encrypted ‘.
“The hypothetical in the worst case would be if this information is used for surveillance, man attacks in the medium (mitm), mapping of networks and critical infrastructure or other misuse potential,” Fowler said.
While there was no evidence that threat actors access violated data, there is concern that foreign governments can access information and use for “surveillance or intelligence collection.”
“I am not declaring or implying that these companies are involved in any of these activities or that their users are at risk,” Fowler continued.
“I am not affirming that just because a request was made in China or that it has Chinese property, there is an imminent risk. I am only highlighting what data are collected and how it could be a risk of potential security in the wrong hands.”
IoT devices have been attacked before, particularly by Botnet attacks, which have increased 500%, and are an intensive problem. Known software defects or easy -to -break passwords are inside a network. Once a device is compromised, this can lead to a botnet of compromised devices, which can be used to spread malware, start ddos attacks or infiltrate critical systems.
Data violation complications
In this data set, the research describes to see “a massive amount of exposed SSID names, passwords, MAC addresses and IP addresses of users that could allow unauthorized remote access to the device’s Wi-Fi network.”
This means that the theoretically exposed credentials could allow an attacker to connect to the network and compromise other devices. Nokia recently reported that IoT devices participated in DDOS attacks driven by Botnet have increased 500% in the last 18 months and now represent 40% of all DDOS traffic.
To mitigate the risks, administrators must first make sure to immediately change the default passwords. The passwords with which IoT tools are often shared in fleets of the same device: passwords unchanged can mean that computer pirates already have access.
A strong and unique password is essential for any device, and we have gathered a list of tips to create a safe and safe password if you need any advice.
Another important consideration is to strengthen your software. Patches management is crucial, essential for its vulnerabilities management program, and staying updated provides an additional layer of protection against zero day exploitation.
Last but not least, be proactive. The complacency and weak -backend safeguards are what hackers tell, so closely monitoring for suspicious behavior segmentation networks, and consolidating the management of final points with a unified console can help you keep protected.
We have gathered a guide for administrators, if you want to see some more detailed tips.
