By Lyon Tsang on May 20, 2020
Originally posted by unknown on January 15, 2017 (https://virtual.educ.ubc.ca/wp/etec523/2017/01/15/shodan-the-most-terrifying-dangerous-search-engine-in-the-world/)
With the staggering explosion of the ‘Internet of Things” (IoT) , security cannot keep pace. Or rather, corporations that produce the IoT are not interested in investing the funds required to secure these things.
Shodan has been described as the most dangerous search engine in the world. I am most definitely not well versed in the world of hacking! But after spending an hour googling ‘Shodan how-to’s,’ I learned how to search for devices that are not password protected, simply default-protected as well as access unprotected private webcams by country, city that have live feeds of living rooms and bedrooms (including one webcam watching shrimp?)
There are explicit instructions available how to access cameras, IPS’, routers, traffic lights, building systems etc. One hacker explained how they were able to access controls for an elementary school and a neonatal ward. I also learned that medical devices such as my pacemaker and ICD could be hacked via this search engine (note to self: be very kind to husband)
As I was figuring out how to utilize the basic capacities of Shodan I thought this could be a valuable scavenger hunt for students to learn about the inherent risks of living their lives online. Perhaps tie it in with a geotagging activity on Open Street maps? Regardless of how the resource is utilized, when we are considering ‘technifiying’ our schools, classrooms… students, it is important to be reminded how vulnerable wealreadyare.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/shodan-webcam-search-1.3422130
https://www.hackers-arise.com/single-post/2016/06/22/Using-Shodan-The-Worlds-Most-Dangerous-Search-Engine– directions on how to navigate Shodan and access unprotected ‘Things’
https://www.shodan.io– shodan search engine
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