Topic: smart speakers – they're all open to remote laser attacks (Read 4142 times)

jaymac · « **on:** November 05, 2019, 07:06:53 pm »

https://www.zdnet.com/article/alexa-siri-google-assistant-smart-speakers-theyre-all-open-to-remote-laser-attacks/?ftag=TRE-03-10aaa6b&bhid=22399896737400685337610746797056

Umi_Ryuzuki · « **Reply #1 on:** November 05, 2019, 07:40:01 pm »

I understand why it would be a concern, however, I have to ask,
Who have you been "pixxing" on...?

unbuiltnautilus · « **Reply #2 on:** November 05, 2019, 09:07:39 pm »

It says that physical barriers could be an answer,but attackers could just dial up the power of the laser..surely a big smoking hole in your brickwork would be some sort of indicator that you were under sustained attack by 'The Empire'!

Andyn · « **Reply #3 on:** November 05, 2019, 11:17:59 pm »

What an absolute crock

warspite · « **Reply #4 on:** November 06, 2019, 08:13:10 am »

Quote from: unbuiltnautilus on November 05, 2019, 09:07:39 pm

It says that physical barriers could be an answer,but attackers could just dial up the power of the laser..surely a big smoking hole in your brickwork would be some sort of indicator that you were under sustained attack by 'The Empire'!

But the barrier is just in front of the speaker and built into the device, to create a hole in the wall would disable the device anyway, if it is run off the power grid as that would go down trying to charge the laser up.

And you would be definitely suspicious of an attack - especially with a death star outside at 110m

Plastic - RIP · « **Reply #5 on:** November 06, 2019, 08:37:10 am »

I think I'd be more worried about having one of those things spying on me 24/7, listening to everything I say looking for keywords and enabling external authorities having remote control of my house.

At least I'd be able to see the Deathstar just outside.

jaymac · « **Reply #6 on:** November 06, 2019, 08:51:17 am »

No deathstar needed Plastic did you read the 17 page Paper on it

Danny · « **Reply #7 on:** November 06, 2019, 04:27:03 pm »

I read this aloud to my wife.
She laughed, I laughed, Alexa laughed, Siri laughed.

Colin Bishop · « **Reply #8 on:** November 06, 2019, 04:51:44 pm »

'Alexa. Print me a Mk 1 15 inch RN gun mounting as fitted to HMS Vanguard in 1945 at 1:96 scale'

That should shut her up for a bit....

Plastic - RIP · « **Reply #9 on:** November 06, 2019, 06:36:13 pm »

Quote from: jaymac on November 06, 2019, 08:51:17 am

No deathstar needed Plastic did you read the 17 page Paper on it

No - just the report - but I don't know what you mean - I'm a chartered electronics engineer and also a laser safety officer - I'm pretty up to speed with all the technologies they are on about and how to implement what they are doing - but I still wouldn't have one of those connected spies in my house. And I know the DeathStar is not real - I hope.

Colin Bishop · « **Reply #10 on:** November 06, 2019, 06:41:19 pm »

Agree, BT sent me one for free when I renewed my internet contract but it didn't seem to do anything that I could ever want so I gave it to my Daughter. I think it is still in the box.

Colin

jaymac · « **Reply #11 on:** November 06, 2019, 07:14:59 pm »

Plastic
Link is new paper

The laser study was conducted by researchers at the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo and the University of Michigan, who detail their work in a new paper, 'Light Commands: Laser-Based Audio Injection Attacks on Voice-Controllable Systems'.

Andyn · « **Reply #12 on:** November 06, 2019, 07:59:29 pm »

They did their study using required clear line of sight into the microphones - which are on the top. Unless you've got a Home Mini or Echo Dot with the wall socket adaptor the likelihood of anyone getting line of sight is minimal at best, especially seeing as wall mounts put the unit on, well, a wall. There's also no consideration to how things like double glazed windows will refract the light to them. Furthermore, not an awful lot of people have their smart devices like they are in the Amazon commercial, lovingly staring at the wonderful device in the centre of their coffee tables.

I'll stick to my previous statement: What an absolute crock...

Plastic - RIP · « **Reply #13 on:** November 06, 2019, 08:10:33 pm »

Quote from: jaymac on November 06, 2019, 07:14:59 pm

Plastic
Link is new paper

The laser study was conducted by researchers at the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo and the University of Michigan, who detail their work in a new paper, 'Light Commands: Laser-Based Audio Injection Attacks on Voice-Controllable Systems'.

I'm at a loss to see what is new in this - lasers have been used to power / control diaphragms since the 60s experiments in project Orion - lifting spacecraft - so this is just another BS scare story to frighten the technologically stunted.

Netleyned · « **Reply #14 on:** November 06, 2019, 08:28:22 pm »

None of my boats have Smart speakers
so not a problem.
Ned

Umi_Ryuzuki · « **Reply #15 on:** November 07, 2019, 03:19:48 am »

Quote from: warspite on November 06, 2019, 08:13:10 am

...
And you would be definitely suspicious of an attack - especially with a death star outside at 110m

Don't fiddle with the death stars...

warspite · « **Reply #16 on:** November 07, 2019, 01:52:16 pm »

Quote from: Colin Bishop on November 06, 2019, 06:41:19 pm

Agree, BT sent me one for free when I renewed my internet contract but it didn't seem to do anything that I could ever want so I gave it to my Daughter. I think it is still in the box.

Colin

WOT - a death star, only a lego one would be still in the box, I could see it now - the voice of eddie izzard coming from the box saying, "Steve, is the canteen still not open yet".

Umi_Ryuzuki · « **Reply #17 on:** January 01, 2020, 01:33:09 am »

Ran across this demonstration.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozIKwGt38LQ

mrlownotes · « **Reply #18 on:** January 01, 2020, 01:52:31 am »

The only smart speaker in my house is my wife !..............Read into that what you like.

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #19 on:** January 01, 2020, 03:45:24 am »

Quote from: Umi_Ryuzuki on January 01, 2020, 01:33:09 am

Ran across this demonstration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozIKwGt38LQ

That is really, really scary!

NB: Destin... what a condescending #&%$!

malcolmfrary · « **Reply #20 on:** January 01, 2020, 09:20:39 am »

Never mind carefully set up laser deathstars, what happens when someone writes a TV script including a phrase like "Alexa, turn the heating off"?
What I read of the article said that some of the functions like making purchass required a recognised voice, but others didn't.

warspite · « **Reply #21 on:** January 01, 2020, 10:04:12 am »

The image from UMI of the death star and the guy behind it - reminds me of the reason the crew of Red Dwarf were vaporized and the film Dark Star, the intelligent bomb was effected by a damaged laser

let there be light to disable alexa

roycv · « **Reply #22 on:** January 01, 2020, 10:29:53 am »

Hi all, if my remote speakers get attacked won't I hear them doing it?
Roy

Plastic - RIP · « **Reply #23 on:** January 01, 2020, 10:35:33 am »

The laser stuff is dumb - it needs direct line of sight to the microphone.

What's more scary is the sensitivity of these microphones - it would be easy to put subliminal messages into tv and radio for Alexa to transfer money from bank accounts or set up accounts or apply for loans - or change banking passwords etc. without you being aware.

Umi_Ryuzuki · « **Reply #24 on:** January 01, 2020, 06:05:20 pm »

Quote from: roycv on January 01, 2020, 10:29:53 am

Hi all, if my remote speakers get attacked won't I hear them doing it?
Roy

I was wondering if they could first say, Alexa/Siri mute.
And then proceed with their attack. And as televisions, laptops, and even refrigerators may
have these microphones available for their features, they may be vulnerable to attack through windows.
.
I used to have a downstairs neighbor that would fall asleep with their bedroom TV up a full volume.
It would happen often, and at 2am was the worst thing to be blaring up through the floor. At some
point I realized they had cable TV, and that I could program one of my remotes to work on a compatible
infra red frequency. So that summer, I started going out front of the their window and turning off their TV.
I told a friend about the hack, and he started messing with his neighbor across the street just for laughs.

News:

Author Topic: smart speakers – they're all open to remote laser attacks (Read 4142 times)