3 HN users recommended this talk3 months2014–2019score 3
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
HN points to it when discussing exposed IoT and industrial devices, as an eye-opening look at how much is reachable online.
Dan Tentler's DEF CON 20 talk on odd things he found on the internet through Shodan, such as stoplights, power systems and other non-computer devices exposed online. It highlights how many devices need no credentials.
“Warning - watching this may readjust your faith in humanity.” (HN, 2017)
It's both amazing and scary that this kind of vulnerability is fairly common. Check out this great talk given at Defcon ( [this video] ) to get an idea of the magnitude. These are systems that do not require any kind of tampering or credentials. Most times credentials are given to you in a prompt!
Shows magnitude of exposed vulnerable devices needing no credentials.
Defcon 20 - Dan Tentler - "Drinking from the caffeine firehose we know as shodan" [this video] Warning - watching this may readjust your faith in humanity. Telnet is just the tip of the iceberg. edit: (15:42) "Econolite [stoplights] listening on telnet. There are intersections [with] stoplights; you can telnet into them and put them in 'test mode'[sic], and the warning says, 'Don't do this, you could kill people!'"
Eye-opening on exposed telnet devices like stoplights.
The answer is: quite probably. A lot of old systems get retrofitted with additional features/terminals/addons on top to make them "more modern" and as a result end up being connected to the internet. A great presentation on this (and many other things) here: [this video]
Presentation on retrofitted old systems ending up on the internet.
It's much worse than just passive webcams. Some devices which were never meant to be connected to the internet are out there. Stoplights? HVAC Systems? Carwashes? Ice Rinks? POWER PLANTS? Yes! [this video] EDIT: I looked at his more recent talk from last November ... the situation has not improved "115 batshit stupid things you can put on the internet in as fast as I can go by Dan Tentler" [link] Featuring Spanish Chicken Controls
Shows non-internet devices like stoplights and power plants exposed.
> Doorbell cameras aren't compelling targets for hackers They will be when people discover creative new ways to abuse them, but it doesn't even needs to be a "compelling target". Some people simply think browsing cameras on the internet is fun. [this video]
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