LAS VEGAS — Smartphones, virtual-reality headsets, toy robots, quadcopter drones and self-balancing scooters can be hacked by powerful sonic blasts, a team of Chinese researchers demonstrated at the Black Hat security conference here last week.
The Wireless Aerial Surveillance Platform, or WASP.
The Black Hat Security Conference and DEFCON bring together the world’s professional hackers, security researchers, goverment representatives, journalists, and just about anyone who thinks of themselves as a hacker. They listen to talks about security, show off the latest novel hacks, and generally share information about the state of computer security.
Every year there’s a highlight to the conferences, and this year it looks like that highlight may be a flying drone, or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). This drone is called the Wireless Aerial Surveillance Platform, or WASP. It’s an ex-U.S. Army spy drone measuirng over 6-feet in length and wingspan that has been modified to make it more useful for hackers in our built-up, communication-heavy urban environments…