Most companies pay close attention to the security of their computers, software, and hardware, but there is one piece of software that is often overlooked — firmware.
Research conducted by The American Consumer Institute stated that 83% of WIFI routers in US homes and offices are at risk of cyberattacks due to this one type of software.
Unlike most malware, malicious firmware can’t be detected by most anti-virus or anti-malware software, making firmware one of the largest hidden dangers to your organization.
What is Firmware?
Your organization’s devices, whether it is your computers, tablets, phones, or other devices are made up of various pieces of hardware that are all vulnerable to malicious attacks due to firmware.
These are just a small list of the hardware you may have in your organization.
- Computer monitors
- Keyboards
- Computer Mouse
- Bluetooth speakers
- Printers
- USB Thumb Drives
- Microphones
- Projectors
- Scanners
- Headsets
- Headphones
- WiFi Routers
Firmware is the basic software that is the brain that runs all these components.
Less sophisticated pieces of hardware like washing machines, stop lights, surveillance cameras, and TV remotes only have this one piece of software control the entire device.
For more complex devices, like smartphones, tablets, and computers, firmware is the middleman between the hardware and the software that supports a computer’s basic functions. This is also known as the device’s operating system.
On these devices, the firmware contains the instructions for the hardware to work with the device’s operating system.
Why is it so Vulnerable to Hackers?
Simply put, firmware was never built with security in mind.
Most hardware manufacturers do not cryptographically sign the firmware embedded in their systems. This signature is what ensures that the firmware within your device came from a legitimate organization instead of a malicious hacker.
Some hardware manufacturers do not include authentication in their devices either, so devices can’t recognize if a piece of firmware is signed.
For hackers this allows them to create a piece of malicious firmware, place it in one of your organization’s computers or other devices, and compromise these devices without raising any red flags from your anti-virus or anti-malware software.
Why Does Firmware Security Matter?
At Spry Squared, Inc., our experience has shown that most firmware is vulnerable to hackers.
This means from your organization’s computer monitors all the way to your smartphone’s camera, there are vulnerabilities in your hardware’s software that can cause serious repercussions for your business.
Here is a list of the risks associated with these attacks.
- Trust or reputation damage
- Lost sales
- Fines
- Government audits
- Remediation costs
- Compensation costs
- Identity theft
- Website downtime
- Website defacement
- Website data loss
- Altered Traffic
- Data Loss
- Business email compromises
- Data breaches (Avg. Cost: $3.92 million, $200k for small businesses)
- Confidential business records including emails, employee information, and financial documents
- Credit card details of customers
- Personal details of customers
- Trade secrets including recipes or schematics
- Access to control unclassified information
- Remote control access to your computers
Regardless of what hackers might do once they infiltrate, now is the time to review and improve your security to stop hackers from doing any harm to your organization.
How to Implement Firmware Security?
1. Understand the Current Landscape
Firmware security is largely in the hands of hardware manufacturers. While it is the industry’s responsibility to design products that withstand malicious attacks, many do not.
Even in 2020, the industry still has a lot of work to do with new vulnerabilities being discovered each day.
The positive side of these discoveries is that manufacturers are being forced by the market to create firmware that can withstand cyberattacks.
Some manufacturers do provide updates or patches for their pieces of unsecured firmware on a regular basis.
2. Update Consistently
Some manufacturers release updates based on known exposed vulnerabilities. However, these updates are useless unless you install them on a regular basis.
These do not happen automatically, so make sure to establish a policy within your organization to install updates for your firmware as quickly as possible.
3. Monitor your Firmware for Changes
It is vital for you to monitor the firmware and hardware in your organization to protect your IT assets from malicious attacks.
Spry Squared has partnered with third-party vendors who automatically monitor firmware, so you are better prepared to protect your organization’s IT infrastructure.
4. Do a Dark Web Scan
It is vital for you to perform a dark web scan to know what information has or hasn’t been compromised within your organization.
Spry Squared offers a free dark web scan which looks over a wide array of dark websites, so you can protect your organization’s identity.
5. What’s Next for Firmware Security?
While the next move for security should rest on the shoulders of firmware developers and researchers, keep in mind, only as new vulnerabilities are exposed will new updates be released.
Here are additional steps you can take to minimize your risk.
- Practice security basics
- Buy hardware with built-in protections
- Avoid plugging in untrusted devices into your computer
- Benchmark your system for security vulnerabilities
- Prepare for attacks before they happen
If you are confused about firmware security and need to hire IT security experts, then we invite you to schedule a quick call to learn more about how our Managed IT Services can help your company address these vulnerabilities.
Our Managed IT Services Team will work with your CISOs team, addressing all aspects of managed services, including:
The best step you can take to protect your business is to let the Spry Squared team help you integrate sound policies to secure and support your environment.
Let Spry Squared be your trusted technology success partner.
