Interview With Researcher Who Cracked Security Of 70+ DVR Brands

Author: Brian Karas, Published on Jul 07, 2016

The researcher who found an exploit in 70+ brands of TVT OEM DVRs, which he suspected to be the entry point hackers used to gain access to several retailers, elaborated on these hacks to us.

We got in touch with Rotem Kerner, previously a security researcher at RSA, and now co-founder of security research company Cybewrite to discuss the exploitability of embedded security devices.

*** ********** *** ******* ******* ** **+ ****** ** *** *** ****, ***** ** ********* ** ** *** ***** ***** ******* used ** **** ****** ** ******* *********, ********** ** ***** hacks ** **.

** *** ** ***** ********* ******, ********** * ******** ********** ** ***, *** *** **-******* of ******** ******** ****************** ******* *** ************** ** ******** ******** *******.

[***************]

Old **** ******* *** * ***** ******

****** **** **** ** ***** ************* ** ******** ******* **** routinely "****** ** *** **** **** *** * *** ** people *** ****** ** **** ****". ******** ** ***** ******** devices **** ***** ******* ** ***** *******, ******** ******* *** recorders *** *** **** ****** ** **** ***** ********, *** accessible ** ********, ****** ************* **** ********* ***** ***** ********.

Now ****** ********

*** ******* ******* *** *********** *******, ******** ******* **** ***-***** targets, ** ***** ** ***** *** **** *** *****. **** the ******* **** ** ** ****** ******* *** ********* ********** of ********-********* ******* **** **** ****** *********, *** ****, *******.

Worse ** ***** ******* ** ********

** ***** ******* ***** **** ** *** **** **** ****** and ******** **** ******* *** ************* *** **********. **** *** make *************** ***** ** *** ****** *********** ********** ** ***** brands/products ***** *** **** ******** ******** *********. ******* ****** ************* report ****** ******* ******* ** ******** ****** ****** *** ******* ****** ********.

How *************** *** *****

***** ***** ****** ** *********** ******** ******, *** ***** ***** like********* ********* **** *** **** ** *** *** ***** ** the ********. **** **** ******** ** *** ************ ********** ** scanning * ****** ************ *** **** ***** *** ****** ******** methods ******* *************** ************.

********* ** **** ** *** *** *****, ************* *** ******** ***** ********, **** ********* * ********* full ** ******/*****. **** ******* *** ** *********** ********* **** the ******* ** ******* ***** ** ******* ** ********* ** deployed ******* **** **** ** ******.

Two ****** ******* ** ******* ********

** ******* *** ** ********* ** * ****** ** ******* root ** ***** ****** ** * ***** ******* *** **** downloading **** ******** **** *** **** **** * ****** ******. This ****** ******** *** ****** ** ** **** ** *** network ****** ** *** **** (****** *******, ** **** *** internet). ** *** *** ******* ** ***** **** ** ** done ******* *** **** ****** ** ** ********, *** ********** the ******* ** ********** ******** ** ******* ******** ** ***** that *** ********** ********.

******* *** ** *** ** ******* **** * **** ** by ********* *** ******** *** *** ****** **** *** *** exploit ***** **, *** **** ********* **** ******** **** *** unit. **** *** **** ** **** ********, ** *** ****** can *** *** *** *** **** ** ******* *** ******** themselves. *** *** ** ******** * **** ** ******* *********** firmware ** ** **** *** ******** ********* *** ********, *** then **** ** ***** **** ******* ** **** **** *** manufacturers ******* ********** ********** * ******** ******.

Securing **** *******

** ** ********** ** ***** ****** * ****** ********* ** the ********, *** *** *** ****** **** ******* ** ****** by ********* ***** **********:

  1. ****** ******* *********, *** ********* ** *** ****** ****** **. Simply ******** "*****" ** "*****" **** **** **************** **************.
  2. **** ******** ******** ***** **** ************* ********, ***** **** **** not ********* ***** *** *** ***********, ** **** ****** *** chances ** ******* ***** ********.
  3. **** ******** ******* ** ******* *** ******** **** ***** ****, assuming **** *** ************ ** ******* ** **** ******** *******.
  4. ***** *** ** *********/******** **** *** ****** **** *********, ** better *** ***** ****** ******** ****** *** ******* *** ***.

** *** ********** ******** *************************, ********** ******** ****** ** ******* *** ****** **** ** exploit.

What ************* *** **

******** ****** *** *** ******** **** *** ******** ********** *** the **** ****** ******* ** *******. ******* ** ***** ****** is ****** ****** ** ********** *** *****, *** ** ***** used ** ******* ** **** ****** ** *** ******.

************ ******** ********* ******** ****** ************ ******* * ***** ****** vector. **** ******* ** *** ****** *** ********* ** ******** files ****** ********** ****, ******** ********* ** ****** ***** ******** images ***** *** **** ***** ******* **** *********** ******* ****** nodes.

********** *** ******** ***** *** **** **** ** **** ********* for ******* ** ********* **** *** ***** *** **** *** exploitable **********.

Comments (19)

Thumbnail image

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | 07/07/16 02:46pm

**** *******. ** ** *** ******* *** ******** *** **** practices, ***** ***** ** ***** **** ****** ** *********. *************, of ******, **** * ***** **** ****, *** *********** **** to ** ***** **** ***. **** ****'* ****** ** ******. Sometimes * ****** ***** ** ** ****** ******. *********** *** access ** **** ****** ****** ****** *** ********** ******* ** it ** *********.

Undisclosed #1

07/07/16 04:29pm

**** **!

******** ***** **** ******:

**** ******* *** ** *********** ********* **** *** ******* ** created ***** ** ******* ** ********* ** ******** ******* **** over ** ******...

** ******* *** ** ********* ** * ****** ** ******* root ** ***** ****** ** * ***** ******* *** **** downloading **** ******** **** *** **** **** * ****** ******.

***'* *** '*******' *** ******* ** '**** ****' ** *** first *****?

****** ** ** **** *** *** ******, "**** *** ** stolen ** ***** *** *** ** ***** *** ******."

Thumbnail brk1

Brian Karas

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 07/07/16 04:42pm

***'* *** '*******' *** ******* ** '**** ****' ** *** first *****?

** **** *****, ***. ** **** **** * *** ********* more ** *** ******* ***** *** ********** **** **** *** uploaded ** *** ****** *** **** ******** ** *** ******. But **** *** *** ** ******* ****/***** ****** ** **** a **** ** *******.

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 07/07/16 04:43pm

***'* *** '*******' *** ******* ** '**** ****' ** *** first *****?

*********, *** ** * *** **, *** ******* ** **** unauthorized "****" ** *** ****. *** "*******" ** *** ******/****** you ****/**** (******* *********) ** * ****** ** ******* ************ access-often ********** *******.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 07/07/16 05:26pm

*** "*******" ** *** ******/****** *** ****/**** (******* *********) ** a ****** ** ******* ************ ******-***** ********** *******.

********. ****** **** ***** ***** ** *** ****** ************* ** the **** '*******', * ***'* ***** **** ** *** ***** meaning ** *****-********.

*** ******** ** * *** * ***** ***** ******** ******* to **** **** ** * ****** *** **** * **** a *** ** *** *** ****** **** *******, *** ******* is ***** ***** ******** ******, *** ******* *****.

**** ***** *****, ***** ********* *** ******* ***** ** *** number ** ******, **** ***** ** **** **** *** *** root.

** **** ********** ****, *** ****** ** "******* ** *******" is ******* **** **** *** **** ****** ******. **** ** the ***** *******.

Undisclosed #2

07/07/16 04:47pm

**** *** *** ** *** *** *********** **** * ********** thought *** **** ********* *** **** *************. * ***** *** out ** **** *** *** ** ***** ** *** **** kind ** ******** ** ****.

jason oneal

07/08/16 11:41am

** ***** * *** ** **** ** * ****** *** already **** ***********? ** **** ********** *** **** ********* ** latest ******** ********* *** ***** **** ****** ** *** ******?

Thumbnail brk1

Brian Karas

IPVM | In reply to jason oneal | 07/08/16 12:39pm

**** ** ** ********* ********.

*** ********* ******** ****** ** **** ***** ** ** *** to **** *** **** ** * ****** *** **** ***********, especially **** ** ***** ** ****** **** ******* ***** ***** like************* *** *** *******.

********** * ****** **** **** ***** ****-********** ******** ** **** cases, ** ***'* **** *** *** ***** ******** **** *** been *****.

*** **** **** ** **** *** **** ******* *** ******** contains * ******** *****, ********* ****** *** *** ********** *****/******** needed ** *** *** ****** ** ********. ********* **************** * ******** **** *** ********* *** *******. *******, **** like ************* ******** *** ** ***** ****** * ******** *******, so ***** ********* ******* ** *** ******* **** ************ ************* and ********** *** ********* ** *** ****** *****.

* ** *** ***** ** *** ** *** ***** ***** malware ******** ** ******* *** ********* ** ** *** ***** where ** *** ******* ****** * *****/******* *** * ******** upgrade, *** ** ** *********** ******** *** **** ** *****. Hopefully ** **** *** **** ******** ******** *** **** ******** implemented ** ************* ****** *** ******* *** ***** ** **** in **** ******.

Andrew Tierney

In reply to Brian Karas | 04/08/17 09:13am

*'** *** ********* *** **** **** ******* ******* * ******** upgrade. **** ******** ******* ***'* ***** *** **********.

Michael Henderson

07/12/16 03:24pm

*********** *** ****** ******, ***** ** ** **** ** **** selling *** *** *** **** *** ***** ********* ******* *** networks **** ****** ******** ** ****. *** ****, **** ***** we *** ******** ** ** ** *** *********.

*********** **** ** **** ***** ***** ********* *** ***** ******* the ******* ******** ** *** ********. ** *** ***** *** so ***** *********, ** ** **** ** ******* **** ****** to **** ****** ******** ********* ***** ***** ********.

Thumbnail image

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | In reply to Michael Henderson | 07/12/16 03:36pm

***** * ***** ** ******* **** **** **********, * ***** like ** **** ***** ****** *** ****** **** ********, ** your *******?

Thumbnail marty2016

Marty Calhoun

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Michael Henderson | 04/08/17 12:39am

** **** *** ***** ** '*** *** ****', ** *** mean **** ****** ***** = ***** ******?

Michael Henderson

07/12/16 03:47pm

** ***'* *** ******, *** **, *** *** *** ******* are ********. ******* **** *** *********' ** ****** *** ***** exploits, ********* ******** ********. ** *** *** ****** *****, * system **** ** *** ********* ** *** ********, ****** ** cases ** ******* *** ***********.

*******, ***** ****** **** ****** *** ***** * *** *** can **** ** ******** **** ******* *******, *** ** *** maintaining * ******** ** **** *** ******** *** ****.

******* **** ********* ***** ******** ** ****** ** ***** ********* exploits ** **** ** *** *** ********* *********** **** **** at **** ********* * ***.

Thumbnail image

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | In reply to Michael Henderson | 07/12/16 04:02pm

*** *** **** ** ******** "********* ***'* ******** ** ****** to ***** ********* ********" ** **** *** ***'*?

Michael Henderson

In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 07/12/16 05:32pm

**** *** *****, * *** ** **-******* **** **** **** due *********. * **** ******* * ****, *** ******* * do ***. *** ******* **** *********** ** ********* * **** in ***** *** ***** ** * ************ ********,.

Thumbnail image

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | In reply to Michael Henderson | 07/12/16 06:04pm

******! :)

* ****** * **** ***** *****!

Michael Henderson

In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 07/12/16 06:07pm

******** ****. ***** ** **** **** *******, *** * **** do *** **** **** ****.

Thumbnail marty2016

Marty Calhoun

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 04/08/17 12:42am

***** *** ***, *** *** *** **** ** *** **** for ****! ******** **** ***** *** **** ***** ** *** of *** "***-***********" ** **** ****.

Thumbnail brk1

Brian Karas

IPVM | 04/07/17 03:35pm

***** ** * *** ****** ***** ********, ****** "*******", **** looks ** ** ********* *** *** *******. ** *** ~***,*** vulnerable ******* **** **** **********:

*** ***/***** ******* ******* ****, ***** ******

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