Vulnerabilities identified in the Abode IOTA security system: Fake image injection into timeline

Connected security devices play an important role in the ecosystem of the modern home. They help residents keep an eye on who’s on or near the premises, track temperature and humidity and, in general, monitor what’s going on at home when they’re not around. As these devices are packed with digital “eyes” and other sensors, vulnerabilities and logic flaws can leave them under the control of cybercriminals and turn them into espionage tools.

Our research on the Abode iota All-In-One Security Kit revealed several vulnerabilities that allow an attacker to upload fake images into the timeline or to remotely execute malicious code on the device to hijack it.

Vulnerabilities at a glance

• Hardcoded credentials for hidden management console
• Local command injection in the management console, tracked as CVE-2020-8105
• Arbitrary image/video upload to any device’s timeline
• Geographical coordinates of the camera leaking out

Mitigation

Home users should keep a close eye on IoT devices and isolate them as much as possible from the local or guest network. This can be done by setting up a dedicated SSID exclusively for IoT devices.

Additionally, IoT users can use the free Bitdefender Smart Home Scanner app to scan for connected devices, identify and highlight vulnerable ones. IoT device owners should also make sure that they check for newer firmware and update devices as soon as the vendor releases new versions.

To minimize risks of compromise, smart home users should consider the adoption of a network cybersecurity solution integrated into the router, such as the NETGEAR Orbi or Nighthawk routers powered by Bitdefender Armor.

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