DISCARDED: Tales From the Threat Research Trenches From Toasters to Botnets: Securing Everyday IoT
Hello to all our Cyber Squirrels!
Host Selena Larson, and guest host, Tim Kromphardt sit down with Tony Robinson — Senior Security Research Engineer and “rule magician” from Proofpoint’s Emerging Threats team. Tony shares the story behind IoT Hunter, an open-source tool he created to automate writing detection rules for Internet of Things (IoT) vulnerabilities.
From routers and smart cameras to industrial control systems, Tony breaks down how IoT Hunter helps researchers and defenders cover hundreds of CVEs — from long-forgotten exploits to newly discovered zero-days.
The trio dives into:
- Why IoT devices remain a major attack vector for threat actors and botnets
- What kinds of vulnerabilities IoT Hunter detects (and how it’s not AI)
- The surprising persistence of outdated frameworks like Boa HTTPd
- Real-world examples of IoT exploitation — from ransomware via smart cameras to botnets made of toasters
- Practical steps anyone can take to secure home and small business devices
This episode uncovers the risks and realities behind our increasingly connected world — and how automation and community collaboration are helping defenders keep up.
Resources Mentioned:
https://community.emergingthreats.net/t/iot-hunter-public-release/3024
https://community.emergingthreats.net/t/cybersecurity-awareness-month-iot-and-soho-devices/3095
For more information about Proofpoint, check out our website.
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