Assessing and Mitigating Network Vulnerabilities in Philips Hue and Nest Protect Smart Home Devices

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) has gained momentum across various sectors, particularly in the consumer market with the adoption of smart devices. IoT extends internet connectivity to physical devices, enabling control via smartphones, environmental sensing, and updates. However, smart home devices are susceptible to cyberattacks due to vulnerabilities, lack of monitoring, and built-in security. They can also participate in botnets, leading to large-scale attacks. Vulnerabilities in these devices may exist at the sensing, network, or application layers, impacting data confidentiality, integrity, and service availability. This research aims to identify networklayer vulnerabilities affecting the 'Availability' of Philips Hue and Nest Protect. By establishing a test environment, the baseline behavior of these devices is examined, followed by scans for open ports and services to detect network-based threats. Volumetric flood attacks are then conducted to assess susceptibility, and findings are shared to define the devices' default security posture. The research also addresses security issues related to home routers and aims to reduce the attack surface of smart home devices through isolation and network-level protection. This involves deploying a Firewall to isolate smart devices from non-IoT devices and prevent intrusions.