Virginia Sen. Mark Warner Questions State Of IoT Security

US Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) asks federal agencies about necessary tools to prevent cybercriminals and others from hacking consumer products, including IoT devices.

US Senator Mark Warner, D-Va., is investigating ways to stop hackers from compromising consumer devices, including Internet of Things products.
Warner, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and co-founder of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, has asked three federal agencies for data on the available tools, as well as tools that may be needed, to protect consumer devices from hackers.
The IoT market is growing at a rapid pace. Weak security measures in products like smart thermostats and connected cameras can give hackers access to users information and enable easy entry into their home and business networks.
Weak IoT security also allows hackers to infect network devices with malware and use botnets to send hordes of data to specific websites and servers. This can essentially shut down different sectors of the Internet, such as the massive
October 21 DDoS attack
that crippled websites including Okta, Twitter, and CNN.
Warner sent inquiries to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Department of Homeland Securitys National Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Center (NCCIC), to learn more about how to safeguard network-connected consumer devices..
In a letter
to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, Warner expressed concern about the growing network of infected devices being used to conduct the largest series of DDoS attacks ever recorded. The Mirai botnet has more than doubled since October 1
st
, he noted, and can be used to flood websites and servers with traffic.
While the precise form of Mirais attacks is not new, the scale of these volumetric attacks is unprecedented, he wrote. The weak security of many IoT devices provides an attractive target for DDoS attackers, leveraging the bandwidth and processing resources of millions of connected devices.
DDoS attacks can enable censorship, criminal extortion, or nation-state aggression, Warner said. Tools like the Mirai source code can potentially shut down swaths of economic activity as well, he added.
Warners concerns reflect the growing trend in efforts to secure IoT devices. Earlier this year, Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
launched
a Cybersecurity Assurance Program (UL CAP), which includes a new set of standards that IoT and critical infrastructure vendors can use to gauge security vulnerabilities in their products.
In a step towards better software security, famed hacker Peiter Zatko, aka Mudge, and his wife Sarah, built a
ratings system
similar to Consumer Reports. The idea is to drive a new approach to software security that puts pressure on creators to build stronger software products.
Related Content:
Getting To The Just Right Level Of Encryption
NHTSA Issues Cybersecurity Best Practices For Automakers
CloudFanta Malware Targets Victims Via Cloud Storage App

Last News
▸ DDoS data reveals subtle threats beneath large attacks. ◂ Discovered: 26/12/2024 Category: security	▸ India launched a targeted attack on Pakistan. ◂ Discovered: 26/12/2024 Category: security	▸ Matching Compliance Proof to Risk Controls ◂ Discovered: 26/12/2024 Category: security

**Cyber Security Categories**
Google Dorks Database	Exploits Vulnerability	Exploit Shellcodes

CVE List

Tools/Apps

News/Aarticles

Phishing Database

Deepfake Detection

Trends/Statistics & Live Infos

Tags:
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner Questions State Of IoT Security