Chinese company recalls cameras used in cyberattack that crippled Twitter, Spotify
A Chinese electronics company is recalling cameras that security researchers linked to Friday’s massive cyberattack that brought down Twitter, Spotify, Reddit and other websites.
Xiongmai, a company that makes camera modules for surveillance equipment, is recalling some devices that were sold in the United States.
Security researchers at Flashpoint had earlier identified the Chinese company’s parts as the primary culprit behind Friday’s cyberattack. The attack took down the Internet company Dyn, which provides key Internet infrastructure to many popular websites and services.
Weak security settings in Xiongmai’s components made them vulnerable to an incursion that allowed hackers to turn them into a destructive botnet, Flashpoint told security researcher Brian Krebs.
“It’s remarkable that virtually an entire company’s product line has just been turned into a botnet that is now attacking the United States,” Flashpoint director of research Allison Nixon told Krebs.
Xiongmai disputes claims that its devices were primarily responsible for the attack, according to Reuters. The camera maker says users who didn’t change the default passwords on their devices are largely to blame for the attack, though the company plans to bolster the security of its older devices with a forthcoming software update.
Flashpoint’s researchers have criticized the Chinese company, saying it’s actually quite difficult to switch from the default settings.
“The issue with these particular devices is that a user cannot feasibly change this password,” Zach Wikholm told Krebs.
It’s not yet clear how many devices are being recalled. Xiongmai sells its camera modules to third-party camera companies, so many of the affected cameras are sold under different brand names. Krebs has compiled a list of devices he says are responsible for the attack.
