Vulnerabilities of Wireless Water Meter Networks

Architecture and Background

John McNabb - Vulnerabilities of Wireless Water Meter Networks Why research wireless water meters? Because they are a potential security hole in a critical infrastructure, which can lead to a potential leakage of private information, and create the potential to steal water by lowering water bills?

Vulnerability Analysis

It's a technology that's all around us but seems to too mundane to think about. Because a hacker can't resist exploring technology to see how it works and how to break it, because they are there?

Exploitation and Demonstrations

In this talk the speaker, who managed a small water system for 13 years, will first present an overview of drinking water security, review reported water system security incidents and the state of drinking water security over the past year, and will then take a deep dive into the hardware, software, topology, and vulnerabilities of wireless water meter networks and how to sniff wireless water meter signals. John McNabb, an IT pro for more than 6 years, also served as an elected Water Commissioner for a small New England town for 13 years.

Remediation and Defensive Strategies

John has been actively researching security issues for drinking water systems for many years, and presented talks at DEF CON 18 and Shmoocon 18 on the subject. He has also presented talks on the environmental impacts of IT at The Next Hope and Phreaknic 14. John is a long-time science fiction fan and has been working on a few SF short stories he hopes to submit some day for publication.