MaxShimba
Platinum Member
- Apr 11, 2008
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A newly discovered exploit in a technology standard known as universal plug and play (UPnP) is big enough that hackers on the Internet could remotely access and control millions of compatible devices like cameras, printers and routers, security researchers said Tuesday.
Researchers working for the security firm Rapid7 said they found bugs in the UPnP standard that exposes personal devices to being remotely accessed and controlled. That means an enterprising hacker could, say, exploit the bug to print unwanted messages on a personal printer, or turn on a webcam unbeknownst to the owner.
A hole this large has likely already been exploited on a selective, individual basis, researchers warned, noting that something like 40 to 50 million network devices make use of UPnP.
Rapid7′s announcement was confirmed Tuesday night by the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), which warned that hundreds of vendors that supply network-enabled hardware rely upon UPnP, including major firms like Ciscos Linksys, D-Link, Belkin and Netgear. The agency recommended those manufacturers begin immediately updating their software to close the vulnerability a process which could take months.
Read more: Massive security hole lets hackers control millions of cameras, printers and routers | The Raw Story
Researchers working for the security firm Rapid7 said they found bugs in the UPnP standard that exposes personal devices to being remotely accessed and controlled. That means an enterprising hacker could, say, exploit the bug to print unwanted messages on a personal printer, or turn on a webcam unbeknownst to the owner.
A hole this large has likely already been exploited on a selective, individual basis, researchers warned, noting that something like 40 to 50 million network devices make use of UPnP.
Rapid7′s announcement was confirmed Tuesday night by the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), which warned that hundreds of vendors that supply network-enabled hardware rely upon UPnP, including major firms like Ciscos Linksys, D-Link, Belkin and Netgear. The agency recommended those manufacturers begin immediately updating their software to close the vulnerability a process which could take months.
Read more: Massive security hole lets hackers control millions of cameras, printers and routers | The Raw Story
