Security researchers have created a flying drone capable of sniffing out devices connecting to the internet. Researchers at security firm Praetorian created the drone using a custom-made tracking tool.
Praetorian vice president Paul West Jauregui told Business Insider the tool can collect data on devices within 100 metres by tracking their communications.
“The project has to do with the Internet of Things (IoT). This is a technology development to let devices all talk to each other,” he said.
“When they [IoT devices] communicated over a wireless protocol called Zigbee. This protocol is open at a network level. So when the devices start connecting they send out beacon requests. We capture data based on this.”
The tech can reportedly detect connected devices security settings as well as who made it. The project is a multistage initiative designed to find, map and examine the security of connected devices.
“The real potential of the project is capturing information and putting it on the map. From that we’re going to find additional areas of risk around IoT,” said Jauregui.
“The project will also give us a window into the internet of things trends. It’ll let us know things like how many Philips Hue light bulbs are out there.”
The drone has already done a test flight over Austin where it detected nearly 1600 unique IoT devices.
Source: Business Insider