Snoopy software can turn a drone is a data stealer

Researchers at Sensepoint have realized a software that could be used to turn a drone in a perfect spying machine able to steal data from mobile devices.

The rapid diffusion of drones for civil uses raises serious security issues, we discussed in the past the risks related to hacking of so powerful machines, but there is also the possibility that ill-intentioned actors will use it to hack user’s mobile.

The scenario is disconcerting, imagine you’re walking around looking for an open WI-Fi network while a drone over your head is stealing the data from your handset, it could be a reality very soon thanks to the work of London-based Sensepoint security firm.

Researchers as Sensepoint security developed an application called Snoopy that run on drones to steal users’ data, the software look for smartphone signal while it is searching for a WI-Fi network. The drone equipped with Snoopy software can trick mobile device into thinking it’s a trusted access point, then the application can access data from the handset.

Snoopy is able to steal a huge quantity of information from victims, including user’s credentials, credit card numbers a location data. Researchers at Sensepoint successfully stolen Amazon, PayPal, and Yahoo credentials from random citizens in the streets of London.

To protect user’s data it is strongly suggested to mobile device owners to turn off any automatic connection process, including WI-Fi network-finding feature.

This software reminds us the necessity to regulate the use of drones, hackers can exploit them for different purposes, to hack other drones, to spy on unaware people or to harm selected targets.

Sensepoint realized the software to demonstrate how much serious is the problem of drone hacking, the project will be presented at the Black Hat Asia conference next week in Singapore … stay tuned!

Pierluigi Paganini

(Security Affairs –  Drone, hacking)