Tarlogic detects a hidden feature in the mass-market ESP32 chip that could infect millions of IoT devices
www.tarlogic.com
Tarlogic presents research revealing undocumented commands in the ESP32 microchip, present in millions of smart devices with Bluetooth
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Tarlogic Security has detected a backdoor in the ESP32, a microcontroller that enables WiFi and Bluetooth connection and is present in millions of mass-market IoT devices. Exploitation of this backdoor would allow hostile actors to conduct impersonation attacks and permanently infect sensitive devices such as mobile phones, computers, smart locks or medical equipment by bypassing code audit controls.

    • notanapple@lemm.eeEnglish
      3·
      13 hours ago

      I saw a comment somewhere that to exploit this a person has to be physically in the area (i think it was in a radius of few meters iirc). Thats not much better i guess since its not hard to be around random iot devices but it at least prevents mass attacks (if true).

      • MrTolkinghoen@lemmy.zipEnglish
        5·
        12 hours ago

        I really haven’t seen any details. Most comments I’ve read indicate they think you already have to have access to the device and that this is just undocumented opcode calls. I.e. not a remote Bluetooth stack issue or remotely exploitable.

        Given an opcode, as noted in the article (vague on details) and yes, I did read it. This doesn’t give me much cause for alarm.