Ride the Lightning
Cybersecurity and Future of Law Practice Blog
by Sharon D. Nelson Esq., President of Sensei Enterprises, Inc.
Can a Power Strip Hack Your Network? Yes, Thanks to DARPA
July 25, 2012
Now why would you need to design a hacking tool that looks like a power strip? Yes, that's what I thought too. So make sure your information security folks know to look out for the Pwer Pwn, whose development was funded in part by The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Yet another hat tip to Dave Ries.
In summary, the device can launch remotely-activated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Ethernet attacks to identify network vulnerabilities. You can send commands via a Web interface, accessible through the Pwer Pwn's built-in 3G radio or directly text message the device. Lazy? Heck, you can even use Siri.
For a mere $1,295, you too can own a device which will to alert you to security deficiencies but is also perfect for hacking a corporate network. Read the story from ZDNet. The device is expected to ship at the end of September and is made by Pwnie Express, whose CEO said that 90% of the company's clients are commercial or federal organizations. That bothers me in and of itself, but it's the remaining 10% I'm really worried about.
DARPA apparently calls this a cyber-security defense tool. In the right hands, sure – but once again, why the form factor of the power strip? I'd say I don't get it, but then again, I do.
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