The \u2018Phenix Coder\u2019 Team, composed\nof scholars from the University of Macau (UM), Southeast University, and the\nUniversity of Massachusetts, won an excellence award at GeekPwn 2016 held in\nShanghai. In addition to developing a way to break internet encryption technologies,\nwhich they hope can serve as a wake-up call to manufacturers of smart devices,\nthe team also developed anti-hacking technologies. The related paper is\nexpected to be published soon.<\/p>
At the competition, the \u2018Phenix Coder\u2019\nTeam demonstrated some major security issues of smart plugs from a well-known\ninternational brand, which make the products vulnerable to attacks from\npotential hackers. By running a pre-set attack program on a randomly-selected\nnetwork host, the team effortlessly obtained authentication information about\nthe smart plugs and thus realised remote control. A hacker can also obtain\nadministrator rights over such smart plugs through firmware, thereby performing\nany operations he wants to. An internet-connected computer that has been\ncompromised is known as a \u2018zombie\u2019. At the competition, the team used the smart\nplug of a \u2018zombie\u2019 to leave messages on GeekPwn\u2019s official Weibo, to the great\nconsternation of the audience.<\/p>
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On 21 October, massive DDoS\n(distributed denial-of-service) attacks took place in the United States,\ndisrupting the services of many popular websites. The new hacking technologies\nthe team demonstrated at GeekPwn 2016 are far more powerful and damaging than\nthose used during the DDoS attacks in the US. Luckily, the team has developed\nanti-hacking technologies. The related paper is expected to be published soon.\nThis is not the first time the team has attracted international attention. Back\nin 2014, it was reported in CNN and CCTV that the team revealed security flaws\nin smart devices such as iPhone, Google Glass, and smart watches, which can be\nexploited by hackers to steal passwords entered on a smartphone or tablet,\nincluding bank account passwords.<\/p>
Source: Communications Office
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Media Contact Information:<\/p>
Communications Office, University of Macau<\/p>
Albee Lei Tel\uff1a(853) 88228004<\/p>
Kelvin U Tel\uff1a(853) 88224322<\/p>
Email\uff1aprs.media@um.edu.mo<\/p>