Ten of the newest Internet of Things (IoT) home security systems all contain vulnerabilities which would allow hackers to carry out successful brute force attacks against them, according to HP.
The computing giant’s follow-up to a report last year saw it focus on products like door and window sensors, motion detectors, video cameras and recording mechanisms – all of which are connected to a mobile device or the web via the cloud.
However, despite being designed to provide security and remote monitoring to their owners, these devices represented a security risk in their own right thanks to a range of authentication and other issues, HP claimed.
Assessing each system according to the OWASP Internet of Things Top 10, HP found that every device allowed the use of weak passwords; lacked an account lockout mechanism that would prevent automation attacks; and was vulnerable to account harvesting.
In addition, two allowed video to be streamed locally without the need to log-in and only one system offered two-factor authentication.
What’s more, 50% of systems had “improperly configured or poorly implemented SSL/TLS.” Many were vulnerable to the recently disclosed Poodle attack or allowed use of SSL v2.0.
Unrestricted account enumeration is another common flaw highlighted by OWASP enabling attackers to access data or controls via the cloud or mobile interface. In HP’s report 70% of IoT systems allowed the former and 50% the latter.
Finally, 60% of systems didn’t indicate any obvious update capabilities or automatic updates, raising concerns about the security of the in-built firmware.
In light of the findings, HP recommended users avoid using factory default settings for usernames and passwords and think carefully about security when evaluating systems for purchase.
IT mangers should segment IoT systems from the rest of the network by putting them behind a firewall, and configure extra security features that might not be switched on by default like 2FA, the report advised.
Tony Caine, HP’s EMEA vice president for enterprise security products, argued that customers must “apply lessons from the past” when connecting new devices to the internet.
“The adoption of smart home technology and connected home security devices in particular is in its infancy,” he told Infosecurity by email.
“Use of complex passwords, account lockouts and two-factor authentication are only a few measures users can take to make their IoT experience more secure. HP is working activity with all vendors identified in our survey to improve the security of their devices as a matter of urgency.”
Last year’s HP report focused on the top 10 most common IoT devices and found a shocking 70% had security flaws.