This document summarizes security threats to machine clouds based on cursory testing of a machine cloud system. It finds that machine clouds are vulnerable due to exposed administrative interfaces, issues in the content management system layer like cross-site scripting, lack of transport layer encryption, and the ability for rogue machines to connect and execute malicious payloads. The growth of connected devices and their management via web-based interfaces introduces threats beyond traditional web applications. Proper security measures are needed to protect the integrity of machine clouds and the systems they connect.

1. Security Threats to
Machine Clouds
george@sensepost.com

2. about: us
Georg-Christian Pranschke
http://www.sensepost.com/blog/7733.html

3. what we’re going to talk about
• the cloud
• why this talk ?
• machine clouds ?
• results: cursory “testing”
• what does all this mean ?

4. The Cloud

5. clobbering the cloud!

6. cloud security

7. Why This Talk ?

8. security threats to machine clouds
• fast growing mobile connectivity
• greater number of connected devices
• management complexity and high costs
• web-based device management for connected
devices
• inherits some of the web app threats plus new
ones

9. Machine Clouds ?

10. machine clouds?

11. machine clouds?
• home automation
• vehicle tracking
• tele-medicine
• location-based services
• “M2M and connected products are changing our world”
• “safer, simpler and more productive”
• “less cost per year than full-time employee”
• i.e. ATMs monitoring -> access to finances
• i.e. medical equipment -> ensuring very best patient care
• i.e. smart signs -> law enforcement
• i.e. cars -> driving behaviour to insurance carriers

13. machine cloud ui: the web application

14. machine - cloud integration

15. protocol dissection (i)
DHCP response

16. protocol dissection (ii)
restart request response

17. machine – cloud interaction (i)

18. machine – cloud interaction (ii)

19. connecting a machine

20. Results: Cursory “Testing”

21. #include <disclaimer.h>

22. approach
Business Logic
Application
Infrastructure
web application/web services <<>> “rogue machine”

23. the environment (i)

24. the environment (ii)

25. threat: exposed administrative
interfaces

26. threats: cms layer (i)

27. threats: cms layer (ii)

28. threats: cms layer(iii)

29. threats: web app layer

30. clickjacking/ui redressing

31. SDKs (i)

32. SDKs (ii)

33. SDKs (iii)

34. SDKs (iv)

35. a side note…

36. transport layer encryption (i)

37. transport layer encryption (ii)

38. lame ? (i)

39. lame ? (ii)

40. lame ? (iii)

41. threat: malicious applets

42. a side note …

43. threat: rogue machines

44. putting it all together
• malicious applets
• obtain vendor id or …
• unauthorised connection
• upload of XSS payload or …
• XSS -> session hijacking and …

45. What Does All This Mean ?

46. what does all this mean

47. Security Threats to
Machine Clouds
Thank You!