Last Week in IoT [XV]

Last Week In IoT… a short review of some IoT news from the past week.

Is IoT still a curse or a blessing?

The Internet of Things (IoT) has been one of the most important drivers of the IT industry for years. Especially in the areas of monitoring and maintenance, the networking of many devices, machines and sensors offers enormous potential. The expectations and willingness to invest on the part of SMEs are correspondingly high. No matter which study – mostly commissioned by suppliers – one believes, the topic IoT has arrived in the middle class. More and more companies are integrating the new technologies into their business models. This is a phenomenon that is found in a wide variety of industries and fields of application – be it in the health sector, trade, logistics, manufacturing or energy supply. […]

Retadup: Cryptomining botnet decommissioned

According to a report by the security company Avast in spring 2019, the cybercrime department “C3N” (Centre de lutte contre les criminalités numériques) of the French national police was able to shut down a cryptomining botnet that now comprises more than 850,000 computers.
The systems infected by retadup have been digging for the crypto currency Monero since at least 2016. Retadup’s backend infrastructure was located in the Paris region. After accessing Retadup’s backend infrastructure, the officers were able to set up their own command server with the help of the FBI, which was also involved, and redirect the traffic from the botnet to it. Using this infiltrated server, Avast and C3N then requested the worm to delete itself on all infected computers that were online. […]

Ten tips for a secure IoT network

The Internet of Things is generally regarded not only as a major driver of innovation, but also as an identified security risk. In addition to the extremely heterogeneous nature of end devices such as sensors or cameras, their operation beyond the firewall is also a major challenge for IT departments. Despite the lack of standardization, there are a number of basic principles that can increase security. […]

IFA 2019: Smart Living, AI, Robots and more

The IFA in Berlin is the world’s leading trade fair for consumer electronics and home appliances. It took place in 2019 from September 6th to 11th at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds – this year it entered the 59th round. Manufacturers from all over the world presented their latest products and innovations from the fields of consumer electronics and household appliances for smart living, AI, robots and more. At this year’s IFA in Berlin, at the joint stand of the VDE, ZVEH and ZVEI associations at the House of Smart Living (IFA NEXT, Hall 26 A, Stand 205), participants in the “Smart Living” business initiative made it possible to experience the living of the future and the use of modern technologies, including in connection with artificial intelligence. Under the motto “Fit for the digital world”, the focus was on the topics of “digitisation and networking” as well as exchange with young people. […]

IoT botnet Ares ADB infects Android set-top boxes

Obviously, many manufacturers of Android-based set-top boxes forget to turn off the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) function before the devices go on sale. Through this remote maintenance mechanism, the botnet malware Ares ADB is now said to infect devices in large numbers – including Android TVs. Security researchers from WootCloud have come across this – they have recorded their findings in a blog post. You can use ADB to debug or remotely access devices, depending on your configuration. Devices listen on port 5555 – and this is exactly what WootCloud says is often active. Among others, devices from the manufacturers Cubetek, HiSilicon and Qezy Media are affected. […]

IoT – Make or Buy: Crisp Research Study

Whether Alexa remembers the next appointments, switches on the lights when called – or automatically fills the refrigerator via the digital shopping cart: The majority of consumers have long become accustomed to the advantages of the Internet of Things. German companies can also benefit from this. After all, the long-term goal is not only to improve existing products by networking people, machines and software, but also to occupy completely new business fields. … For the new IoT – Make or Buy study by Crisp Research and Lufthansa Industry Solutions, 129 decision-makers from various industries were interviewed about their strategies in dealing with the Internet of Things. In the course of the results, the question of IoT – Make or Buy will become even more differentiated. This will provide decision-makers with insights and application examples which they can then implement for the IoT strategy. For 90 percent of the companies, IoT projects are currently a relevant topic. The answer to the question “Make or Buy – optimize or differentiate – is therefore a trend-setting one when it comes to continuing to exist in a changing market. […]