this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2025
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Source Link Privacy.Privacy test result

https://themarkup.org/blacklight?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tarlogic.com%2Fnews%2Fbackdoor-esp32-chip-infect-ot-devices%2F&device=mobile&location=us-ca&force=false

Tarlogic Security has detected a backdoor in the ESP32, a microcontroller that enables WiFi and Bluetooth connection and is present in millions of mass-market IoT devices. Exploitation of this backdoor would allow hostile actors to conduct impersonation attacks and permanently infect sensitive devices such as mobile phones, computers, smart locks or medical equipment by bypassing code audit controls.

Update: The ESP32 "backdoor" that wasn't.

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[–] Sgt_choke_n_stroke@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

Babe, wake up its time for your china fear mongering news

[–] thickertoofan@lemm.ee 7 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

welp, TL;DR from comments says its fear mongering at best, physical access required right?

[–] Rin@lemm.ee 2 points 1 hour ago

Code execution required lmao

[–] Jhuskindle@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

At this point I welcome them to come through.

[–] Gewoonmoi@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago

Come through with what though?

[–] NauticalNoodle@lemmy.ml 17 points 1 day ago

Does anyone know where it is that we can find these new commands? I have an esp32 dev kit just a few feet away from me as i read this. It might be interesting to know what these new product "features" are.

[–] priapus@sh.itjust.works 56 points 1 day ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (1 children)

This isn't a backdoor. Just a company trying to make a name for themselves by sensationalizing a much smaller discovery.

[–] COASTER1921@lemmy.ml 39 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Seriously this. Every single IC which has digital logic contains some number of undocumented test commands used to ensure it meets all the required specifications during production. They're not intended to be used for normal operation and almost never included in datasheets.

[–] xthexder@l.sw0.com 23 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

If anyone's ever followed console emulator development, they know those undocumented commands are everywhere. There's still people finding new ones for the N64 hardware

Edit: I should say undocumented behavior, not necessarily new commands

[–] JcbAzPx@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago (3 children)

The rebuttal wasn't as comforting as some are making it out to be. They seem to be more interested in the semantics of it not being a backdoor tied to a specific product, which appears to be true.

Rather it is a potential for vulnerability that exists in all wireless implementation, which seems to me to be a bigger issue.

[–] trashgirlfriend@lemmy.world 3 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

It's a vulnerability where an attacker already needs code execution on the device/physical access.

If you have that you're already compromised no matter what.

[–] JcbAzPx@lemmy.world 1 points 4 hours ago

The biggest risk would be IoT devices.

[–] jj4211@lemmy.world 2 points 7 hours ago

The issue is where the undocumented commands are. They aren't just allowing any old external person to send payloads to this.

It's kind of like noticing that someone unexpectedly hid a spare key next to the door... On the inside of the house. Like, sure, maybe the owner would have like to know about that key, but since you have to be inside the house to get to it, it doesn't really make a difference.

[–] Entropywins@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

I was reading someone else's explanation and they said it's the equivalent of every computer possibly having a backdoor because there is code in a computer that a bad actor can use. There are extra commands that could possibly be used for a backdoor if a malicious actor found a way to use those bits of code. It's much less oh here is a security vulnerability that is being used and more of a if a robber breaks into our house which is possible they will rob us situation.

[–] Rexios@lemm.ee 33 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Please update the title of this post to mention the update

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[–] jerkface@lemmy.ca 36 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Weird that they removed the reference to ESP32, one of the most common and widely known microcontrollers, from the headline.

[–] AlexWIWA@lemmy.ml 6 points 20 hours ago

It’s because the security company basically lied about this being a vulnerability, and probably opened themselves up to a lawsuit.

[–] fubarx@lemmy.ml 83 points 1 day ago (8 children)

This sounds like there are some undocumented opcodes on the HCI side -- the Host Computer Interface -- not the wireless side. By itself, it's not that big a deal. If someone can prove that there's some sort of custom BLE packet that gives access to those HCI opcodes wirelessly, I'd be REALLY concerned.

But if it's just on the host side, you can only get to it if you've cracked the box and have access to the wiring. If someone has that kind of access, they're likely to be able to flash their own firmware and take over the whole device anyway.

Not sure this disclosure increases the risk any. I wouldn't start panicking.

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[–] technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Gotta blame China to get upvoted on Lemmy.

[–] Entropywins@lemmy.world 2 points 7 hours ago

Yeah, one of those is factually correct and got upvoted...

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 1 points 8 hours ago

You're kidding, right?

[–] Tja@programming.dev 12 points 1 day ago

Or use a precise title. It's not a backdoor or a "backdoor".

[–] Thrawne@lemmy.world 20 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Fukin dmnit! I just spent the last several months fine tuning a PCB design supporting this platform. I have , what i believe to be my last iteration, being sent to fab now. I have to look i to this. My solution isnt using bluetooth, so i dont know if im vulnerable.

[–] voodooattack@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago

Go for it. It’s a bullshit attention grab. No backdoor, just some undocumented vendor commands (which is the norm for virtually every chip out there).

[–] mousetail@programming.dev 7 points 1 day ago

The exploit requires physical access. It's not exploitable in 99% of cases

[–] priapus@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Its not a backdoor, you're most likely fine.

[–] ycnz@lemmy.nz 109 points 1 day ago

I hate it when an attacker who already has root access to my device gets sightly more access to the firmware. Definitely spin up a website and a logo, maybe a post in Bloomberg.

[–] notanapple@lemm.ee 145 points 1 day ago (4 children)

We really should be pushing for fully open source stack (firmware, os) in all iot devices. They are not very complicated so this should be entirely possible. Probably will need a EU law though.

[–] oldfart@lemm.ee 18 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Open source stack will not prevent this. It's not even a backdoor, it's functionality that these researches think should be hidden from programmers for whatever reason.

Open source devices would have this functionality readily available for programmers. Look at rtl-sdr, using the words of these researches, it has a "backdoor" where a TV dongle may be used to listen to garage key fobs gasp everyone panic now!

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[–] secret300@lemmy.sdf.org 26 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I 100% believe firmware should be open source no question about it. There's so many devices out there especially phones and iot devices that just become e-waste because you can't do anything with it once it's not supported if it was open source and documented in some way then it could be used. I have like five cheap phones that I got because they were so cheap but once they lost support they've become completely useless even though they still work.

[–] Malfeasant@lemm.ee 5 points 1 day ago

But then big companies wouldn't be able to keep milking the consumer via planned obsolescence. Won't somebody think of the shareholders?

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[–] Ebby@lemmy.ssba.com 207 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Well... Shit.

There are so, so, so, many ESP32's in not just my house, but practically everyone I know.

There outta be fines for this BS.

[–] cogman@lemmy.world 160 points 2 days ago (18 children)

You're fine. This isn't something that can be exploited over wifi. You literally need physical access to the device to exploit it as it's commands over USB that allow flashing the chip.

This is a security firm making everything sound scary because they want you to buy their testing device.

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 71 points 2 days ago (3 children)

You literally need physical access to the device to exploit it

You don't need physical access. Read the article. The researcher used physical USB to discover that the Bluetooth firmware has backdoors. It doesn't require physical access to exploit.

It's Bluetooth that's vulnerable.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/undocumented-backdoor-found-in-bluetooth-chip-used-by-a-billion-devices/

[–] cogman@lemmy.world 74 points 1 day ago (5 children)

I just re-read the article and yes, you still need physical access.

The exploit is one that bypasses OS protections to writing to the firmware. In otherwords, you need to get the device to run a malicious piece of code or exploit a vulnerability in already running code that also interacts with the bluetooth stack.

The exploit, explicitly, is not one that can be carried out with a drive-by Bluetooth connection. You also need faulty software running on the device.

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[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Haha. I wear cheap Chinese bluetooth literally on my skull like 95% of the time, web when sleeping.

Hope they enjoy my thoughts.

[–] Oisteink@feddit.nl 84 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Too much fanfare and too little real info shared to be of any value. Sounds more like an ad than infosec

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