The astonishing reports released on the Snoopy drone device at the Black Hat Asia Cyber Security Conference 2014 in Singapore left everyone surprised. This drone was developed in the research lab of the SensePost Security Firm. Now what is the significance of Snoopy and why is it so important? Here are some vital details to help you stay aware of the possibility of people spying on the personal details of your mobile devices.
The developers Daniel Cuthbert and Glenn Wilkinson revealed that Snoopy targets mobile gadgets with WiFi enabled settings in order to steal sensitive information. The device, with similar features to a remote controlled helicopter, was observed flying above the rooftops in London a few months ago. While hovering, it can easily interfere with the data on your mobile phones and tablets without leaving any trail of evidence. The company has specially developed software used by the drone. This software program is installed in the computer that maintains connectivity with the drone through wireless connectivity.
The most problematic issue with the Snoopy drone hacking device is that once it is in the frequency range of the mobile phones, it can gain access to your bank account information, home address, location, and all contents stored in the phone. The main aim of the device was to demonstrate the possible information security threats and flaws such devices pose on the masses.
Snoopy looks like a small quadcopter that deceives the mobile owners by sending them a false wifi connection. Instead of connecting to the hotspot they think is authentic, they’re connecting to a dummy connection, one that is maintained and controlled by the hacking drone. Then Snoopy gets to work, by hacking all the information exchanged within mere minutes. Wilkinson revealed that when a phone is connected to Snoopy he could view banking details; log-in information on various sites, location data and everything available on the mobile phone. This urges the need of taking intensive information security measures to protect sensitive data.
The SensePost developed spying device is actually successful in establishing GPS coordination with more than 150 different mobiles at a single instance taking less than an hour. During one session, it is possible to extract PayPal and Amazon account details of several mobile owners. Explaining the potential information security risks, Daniel Cuthbert and Glenn Wilkinson have stated that this sort of device is not new and there are already other similar devices that have been spying on the mobile handsets to steal data. The developers of this drone therefore advised the masses to turn off their wireless connections while on the roads when they do not need to use it.
For more ways to protect the information from being stolen, read one of our previous blog posts where we outline the necessary precautions to safeguard your cellphone from prying eyes.
