Henn-na Hotel robots found to have security vulnerability

Robots running units of the Henn-na hotel chain in Japan were discovered to have a security vulnerability that could expose guests to unwanted surveillance and abuse.

Security engineer Lance R. Vick discovered that Henn-na hotel group's Tapia robots 'can be converted to offer anyone remote camera/mic access to all future guests'. 

H.I.S Hotel Group admitted that people could gain unauthorised access to its 100 Tapia devices and apologised 'for any uneasiness caused', but only after Vick had given it 90 days warning and had taken to Twitter in exasperation to publicise his findings. 

The finding raised concerns about the security of Tapia robots and the organisations that use them, and the safety of their customers.

Research, advocacy 🧮

• https://twitter.com/lrvick/status/1182823213736161280

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

• https://www.tokyoreporter.com/business/robot-hotel-operator-announces-modification-to-prevent-hacks-by-guests/

• https://www.zdnet.com/article/hotels-in-room-assistants-could-have-been-used-to-spy-on-guests/

• https://gizmodo.com/how-to-ethically-hack-the-hotel-bedside-robots-a-gui-1839303207

• https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7608443/Japanese-robot-hotel-apologises-security-expert-exposes-hacking-flaw.html

• https://www.hotelmanagement.net/tech/japanese-hotel-bedside-robots-hacked

• https://www.fastcompany.com/90421411/wacky-robot-hotel-admits-its-bedside-cameras-could-have-exposed-guests-to-peeping-hackers

• https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/91157-japanese-hotel-apologizes-for-robots-that-allowed-video-and-sound-to-be-hacked

• https://www.newsweek.com/quirky-japanese-hotel-replaces-room-robots-when-they-turn-out-hackable-can-turned-peeping-toms-1467386