Millions of printers from Brother and other manufacturers are exposed to serious security flaws, some of which can’t be patched, according to new research from cybersecurity firm Rapid7. The vulnerabilities affect hundreds of printer models worldwide, with Brother devices being the most impacted. Rapid7 discovered eight security flaws across 689 Brother printers, scanners, and label printers. The issue also extends to 46 Fujifilm, 6 Konica Minolta, 5 Ricoh, and 2 Toshiba models that use Brother components. The severity of these flaws ranges from moderate (CVSS score 5.3) to critical (CVSS score 9.8), with the most dangerous one being CVE-2024-51978 . This flaw allows hackers to guess a printer’s default admin password because Brother uses a weak algorithm that generates passwords based on the device’s serial number and a fixed table. Once attackers gain access, they can take control of the printer and potentially attack other devices on the same network. Other vulnerabiliti...
How many smartphones have you used in the past decade, and how many are now either in the trash or accumulating dust in a box somewhere? Now, imagine billions of these old smartphones turned into electronic waste (e-waste) — that’s a lot.
Over 1.2 billion smartphones are produced worldwide every year, which is not only energy-intensive but also uses a lot of natural resources. Not to mention the logistics it requires, which contributes to the carbon dioxide emissions in our atmosphere.
Unfortunately, smartphones are not as durable as they used to be, and even the phones in still-functional conditions are likely to be replaced after a couple of years, so most are unlikely to be recycled and will still end up in the dump.
A recent research study from the University of Tartu’s Institute of Computer Science in Estonia, published in IEEE Xplore, showed a new approach to reducing e-waste created by outdated smartphones and ensuring sustainable data processing by turning your old smartphones into small-scale data centers.
The researchers found a way to extend the lifecycle of old smartphones by giving them a new purpose. They found a way to repurpose the outdated devices into tiny data centers capable of efficient data processing and storage.
Aside from its environmental impact, they realized it’s more economical, costing only around 8 euros (~Php500) per device.
The team removed the batteries and used an external power source to ensure the environmental safety of using old electronic devices. At the same time, they designed 3D-printed casings and holders for the old phones for their prototypes. They have also already successfully tested it underwater.
The researchers found other potential applications of the innovation and will look to develop the technology further.
This article, Research shows old smartphones can be turned into tiny data centers, was originally published at NoypiGeeks | Philippines Technology News, Reviews and How to's.
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