One concern of the researchers is that technology like the Halo 3C could be turned against a student speaking about seeking an abortion, for instance. In marketing material, Motorola says the Halo 3C sensor “is ideal for observing health and safety in privacy-concern areas, such as restrooms and changing facilities, where video and audio recording is not permitted.” (Motorola said that the sensor is programmed with wake words, such as “Help, 911,” and does not record or stream audio.)
“To the credit of the company, the microphones sound great,” says Nyx. “From up on the ceiling, you could totally listen to what somebody was saying, and we’ve made this happen.”
Motorola told the hackers in an email that it has worked on a new firmware update that should fix the vulnerabilities. But the hackers argue that doesn’t, and can’t, address the underlying concern: that a gadget loaded with hidden microphones is installed in schools around the country. Motorola also advertises its Halo sensors for use in public housing—including inside residents’ homes—according to marketing material.
“The unfortunate reality is there’s a microphone connected to a computer that’s connected to the network,” says Nyx. “And there’s no software patching that will make that not possible to use as a listening device.”
Motorola pitches the Halo 3C as an “all-in-one intelligent security device” in its marketing material. Its notifications “enable security teams at schools, hospitals, retail stores and more to respond to potentially critical events faster, helping to establish a safer environment,” it says.
After Vasquez-Garcia got curious about the Halo 3C two years ago, he and Nyx—an older hacker he met at his local hackerspace—bought one on eBay and took it apart. Their physical teardown revealed the Halo 3C is essentially a Raspberry Pi micro computer with a bunch of sensors attached, including one for temperature or humidity, an accelerometer, and others for air quality that detect different gases. One feature jumped out: a couple of microphones.
“Seeing this device is getting put into buildings and having microphones in it,” says Nyx, “it’s kind of a huge red flag.”
Source: Wired.
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