News: "Hacker claims he controlled appliances in every room of a five-star hotel"
Aug 7, 2014, 10:57 am
#1
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News: "Hacker claims he controlled appliances in every room of a five-star hotel"
this is interesting since it happened to a starwood hotel. so if the lights in your room start going on and off for no apparent reason...
source: http://venturebeat.com/2014/08/07/ha...ve-star-hotel/
Molina, a security researcher from San Francisco, described this feat at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas. His talk illustrated the perils of connecting dumb devices to the internet — the so-called internet of things — without first thinking about security.
Molina stayed at the five-star St. Regis hotel in Shenzhen, China. In the room, he found an iPad. It controlled all of the features of the room, such as the drapes, temperature, television, and lights. He investigated the device and found he could easily hack it.
“I controlled 200-plus rooms of a five-star hotel by abusing an insecure home automation protocol,” Molina said
.Molina stayed at the five-star St. Regis hotel in Shenzhen, China. In the room, he found an iPad. It controlled all of the features of the room, such as the drapes, temperature, television, and lights. He investigated the device and found he could easily hack it.
“I controlled 200-plus rooms of a five-star hotel by abusing an insecure home automation protocol,” Molina said
source: http://venturebeat.com/2014/08/07/ha...ve-star-hotel/
Aug 7, 2014, 1:12 pm
#2
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The conversation about connecting more things to the internet is a valid one.
But when we're talking about lights, curtains, and TV, this seems more like a nuisance issue than a real security threat, no? I suppose opening the curtains when somebody is changing would also constitute a privacy violation, but that's about as far as I can see that going. Wouldn't most folks capable of doing something like this have bigger fish to fry if they've got their heart set on wreaking havoc?
But when we're talking about lights, curtains, and TV, this seems more like a nuisance issue than a real security threat, no? I suppose opening the curtains when somebody is changing would also constitute a privacy violation, but that's about as far as I can see that going. Wouldn't most folks capable of doing something like this have bigger fish to fry if they've got their heart set on wreaking havoc?
Aug 7, 2014, 1:59 pm
#3
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The conversation about connecting more things to the internet is a valid one.
But when we're talking about lights, curtains, and TV, this seems more like a nuisance issue than a real security threat, no? I suppose opening the curtains when somebody is changing would also constitute a privacy violation, but that's about as far as I can see that going. Wouldn't most folks capable of doing something like this have bigger fish to fry if they've got their heart set on wreaking havoc?
But when we're talking about lights, curtains, and TV, this seems more like a nuisance issue than a real security threat, no? I suppose opening the curtains when somebody is changing would also constitute a privacy violation, but that's about as far as I can see that going. Wouldn't most folks capable of doing something like this have bigger fish to fry if they've got their heart set on wreaking havoc?
Aug 7, 2014, 2:43 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2005
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The conversation about connecting more things to the internet is a valid one.
But when we're talking about lights, curtains, and TV, this seems more like a nuisance issue than a real security threat, no? I suppose opening the curtains when somebody is changing would also constitute a privacy violation, but that's about as far as I can see that going. Wouldn't most folks capable of doing something like this have bigger fish to fry if they've got their heart set on wreaking havoc?
But when we're talking about lights, curtains, and TV, this seems more like a nuisance issue than a real security threat, no? I suppose opening the curtains when somebody is changing would also constitute a privacy violation, but that's about as far as I can see that going. Wouldn't most folks capable of doing something like this have bigger fish to fry if they've got their heart set on wreaking havoc?
Good news: I tried and yes, https://www.flyertalk.com works too, so I bookmarked that and in the future I will be able to share my stories (and password) without being evesdropped by a bystander.
BTW: not so long ago terrorists created chaos at a number of hotels in India. For them turning lights on/off in a hotel with an iPad might be one of the tools to make sure people leave the relative safety of their rooms and enter the hallways. Macabre thought.
Aug 7, 2014, 3:51 pm
#5
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We went through all of this hysteria 14-1/2 years ago. (13-1/2 if you're a purist) Anyone remember Y2K? Anything that is controlled remotely (i.e., by means of an external network) can theoretically be controlled by anyone who has access to that network. That's the definition of "remote control".
But, if any appliance is NOT controlled by a network, it can't be hacked remotely.
But, if any appliance is NOT controlled by a network, it can't be hacked remotely.
Aug 7, 2014, 4:48 pm
#6
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The conversation about connecting more things to the internet is a valid one.
But when we're talking about lights, curtains, and TV, this seems more like a nuisance issue than a real security threat, no? I suppose opening the curtains when somebody is changing would also constitute a privacy violation, but that's about as far as I can see that going. Wouldn't most folks capable of doing something like this have bigger fish to fry if they've got their heart set on wreaking havoc?
But when we're talking about lights, curtains, and TV, this seems more like a nuisance issue than a real security threat, no? I suppose opening the curtains when somebody is changing would also constitute a privacy violation, but that's about as far as I can see that going. Wouldn't most folks capable of doing something like this have bigger fish to fry if they've got their heart set on wreaking havoc?
Aug 7, 2014, 5:03 pm
#7
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I am not surprise because hackers can even hack the door lock! I was a victim at a 5 stars hotel, I wished I read this article earlier from Forbes:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygree...oom-break-ins/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygree...oom-break-ins/
Aug 7, 2014, 8:00 pm
#8
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Aug 8, 2014, 12:06 am
#10
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Yeah, this have been posted before in the St. Regis Shenzhen Master Thread.
Aug 8, 2014, 12:41 am
#11
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A few years back at a hotel on the Costa Brava we had a major security breach.
The maid opened the door -with a key of all things! Stole 50 Euro.
Luckily she didn't have the expertise to open the curtains or switch the telly on.
The maid opened the door -with a key of all things! Stole 50 Euro.
Luckily she didn't have the expertise to open the curtains or switch the telly on.
Aug 8, 2014, 12:47 am
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Aug 8, 2014, 2:46 pm
#13
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I can think of a lot more security breaches at Hotels and I am sure many Flyertalk members can think of many a more news worthy than controlling lights and curtains.
Aug 8, 2014, 3:36 pm
#14
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