Smart phones, car locks are easily hacked by sound waves

Scientists discovered a weak spot vulnerable to hackers in technology devices. This security vulnerability could cause millions of smartphones, accessories to integrate computer processors, even unlocked cars.

By using sound waves , researchers have found a way to deceive accelerometers . These are small sensors in devices that have motion detection functions. By creating a fake motion signal, hackers can take advantage of this weakness to control our devices.

"It's like when opera singers use their powerful voices to break the glasses of wine. In our case," said Kevin Fu, a computer scientist at the University of Michigan . We can only pronounce words normally. You might think it's a music virus. "

The sensors that Fu's team investigated are called MEMS capacitance accelerometers . It is used to record the speed change of objects in three-dimensional space. When you hold or tilt your phone or tablet, these sensors can be known. They can also count your steps with the activity tracker.

Accelerometers are used not only in consumer devices but also in medical devices, vehicles and even satellites. We are becoming more and more dependent on them.

Smart phones with security holes are sound waves.(Photo: Youtube).

"Thousands of devices used every day have small MEMs. Future devices will rely on sensors to make automated decisions," Fu explained in a press release.

But acceleration has "Achilles heel": That is the sound. By precisely adjusting the sound to match the frequency, Fu's group deceived 15 of the 20 acceleration models from five different manufacturers. The group can also control the output of devices in 65% of cases.

The accelerator can perform some high-tech functions, but the principle is basically simple. By using a spring-mounted object, they can detect changes in speed or direction of movement. But these measurements can be fake if you use the right audio frequency to fool the technology.

"The basic physics of hardware allows us to deceive sensors to transfer false signals to the microprocessor," Fu explained.

Once you find the right frequency to control the sensor, a hacker can trick a Fitbit (a free health monitoring application) that counts thousands of steps that have never been performed.

The technology used to steal these devices is not a high-end audio device. In one case, researchers used external speakers for $ 5. In another example, a smartphone has played an audio file with the internal speaker and automatically attacked itself.

Researchers warn that this vulnerability could be easily used for malicious and potential purposes of unpredictable dangers.

"If a phone application uses an accelerometer to start the car when you shake the phone, you can fake the accelerator output data to make it think the phone is shaking. Then, apply. Using the phone will send the car a signal to start up, " said Timothy Trippel, a member of the research team.

The study was presented at the IEEE European Symposium on Security and Security in Paris in April. While research has not yet been verified, these findings are still being seriously considered. .

As John Markoff of The New York Times reported, the US Department of Homeland Security is expected to publish a security warning regarding these specific sensors. Before the results of the study were published, the relevant manufacturers were informed in advance that their devices had security holes.

Understanding this drawback, hopefully researchers and technology companies will be able to work together to find remedies. When technology devices become more useful and functional, how to make them do not exist an immediate weakness in the basic components that make them: are sound waves.

People have sensors like eyes, ears and nose. We believe in our senses and use them to make decisions. If autonomous systems cannot believe their senses, the safety and reliability of that system is zero, just like the sound wave problems that occur with technology devices, Trippel said.