2021-11-19, 09:00–09:50, Hackfest - Track 1
It is undeniable that sensors are the backbone for any IoT, smart devices or Industrial Control Systems and have been playing an important role in the technology world. They play a major role in taking inputs from the surrounding and giving output to the respective systems.
But what if these sensor based systems operate in an unintended manner? What if their inputs inadvertently lead to compromising the system? Also, how often do organizations talk about security in Sensors? In this talk we will discuss various attacks which can be used to hack sensor based systems using Physics. This talk will also discuss some mitigations for such attacks.
Physics has been an important part of our daily life electronics, straight from the smartphone we own to the cars and everything in between have sensors installed in their respective hardware. Since there are sensors installed in the hardware, any attacker can modify the electrical signals received in the sensors and cause the device or target system to behave in a different way and compromise the system. In this talk we will discuss an approach on compromising devices having sensor-based applications.
Sensors have played a great role in the world of electronics, not just phones and smart devices but also in Industrial Control Systems, Internet of Things systems and everywhere sensors are used. Sensors have been a great tool for many electronic devices for their respective purposes but they have always been out of the radar for companies and individuals. In this talk we will come up with inexpensive ways to attack different hardware systems and use them for our own benefits.
We will be discussing some vulnerabilities by which attackers can exfiltrate the data by using Blinking LEDs on the hardware because lights are available on so many devices. We will be talking about how light signals or the emissions from lights can be captured on an embedded device and can be used to see the malicious code or data running on the device.
Medical, Industrial, Automotive, Internet of Things and even Electronic Warfare systems consist of untrusted components and sensors which can be manipulated to take wrong inputs from the environment and can act how they were not intended to. Also ways like Electromagnetic Interference (EMI Attacks) can be used to inject malicious signals on a microcontroller’s Analog to Digital Converter (ADC), and can be used to manipulate the systems readings we will talk about this problem and will also explain the solution of implementing an attack detection mechanism in order to prevent these attacks.We will also be showing how the interference caused in the UltraSonic sensors can be used to attack such devices.
Key Takeaway:
Understanding of Physics in the modern era
Understanding of Possible Physical Attacks on Hardware Systems
Possible mitigations which can be applied on the “smart” devices
The audience will also learn more about
Building secure products for the end users in the market
Why application security is not the only security mechanism which has to be implemented in a product which goes to market.
Doing “Thought Experiments” and coming up with new possible attacks with an open mind.
Expected Audience
The target audience would be beginners and people interested in ICS Security, Automotive Security, Internet of Things Security, Electronics, and Students or anyone who has willingness to learn.
Prerequisite
Anyone with an interest in Physics and Security can join us.
Presentation Outline
Introduction of the speaker
Talk Title: Hacking with Physics
What are sensors, uses, working, examples.
Attacks: Optic Spy (details,tools, failures, results)
Attacks: Transduction (details,results, demo)
Attacks: EMI Attacks(details, results)
Attacks: Lamphone(details, results)
Attacks: Attacks using UV-light(details, results)
Conclusion: Thinking about mitigations on each of the attacks.
Imagination of attacks using “Thought Experiments”.
Demo Videos (optional)