PSA: Older Wemo Smart Plugs Have Vulnerability That Leaves Them Open to Attack

Older Wemo smart plugs from Belkin have a vulnerability that allows them to be hacked, according to a blog post from security researchers at Sternum. The Wemo Mini Smart Plug V2 (model F7C063) from 2019 is vulnerable to a buffer overflow attack that can be used execute commands remotely.

belkin wemo v2 mini
Basically, the Wemo Mini Smart Plug V2 has a 30 character name limit that can be overwritten, leading to an exploitable memory buffer error. Full details on how the exploit works are available from Sternum.

Belkin told Sternum that it has no plans to update the Wemo Mini Smart Plug V2 because it is at the end of its life after four years and has been replaced with newer models. That leaves many potential Belkin customers vulnerable, as there are likely many of these smart plugs being used in the wild.

Sternum recommends that people prevent the Wemo Mini Smart Plug V2 from accessing the internet and communicating with other devices like the iPhone because of the vulnerability, but the safest bet would be to remove the plugs and replace them with something more secure.

Tags: Belkin, Wemo

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

iPhone 17 Rumored to Feature Mechanical Aperture

Tuesday July 23, 2024 9:32 am PDT by
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...

Top Rated Comments

bottsjw Avatar
16 months ago
Yup. Belkin just lost my future business.
What a terrible policy/response.
?
Score: 67 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BBCWatcher Avatar
16 months ago
If you bought this product the first day it was available it’s 4 years old. If you were an average buyer it’s about 3 years old. And now Belkin has declared it e-waste because it was defective from the start, and they can’t be bothered to fix it. Thanks to Belkin for helping to destroy the planet faster.☹️
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mlrproducts Avatar
16 months ago
As someone affected Belkin is off my list.

What a lazy response “it’s 4 years so we decided screw customers we can’t write software for something you paid for.”

Contributing to more unnecessary e-waste.

I’d happily go back to just using regular switches if, in exchange, all companies like this could just be out out of business.
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nermal Avatar
16 months ago
As others have said, that's pretty pathetic. Normal switches easily last for decades, so "killing" one after just four years is incredible.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rtkane Avatar
16 months ago
WHOEVER IS DOING THIS TO ME PLEASE STOP.



Attachment Image
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rafterman Avatar
16 months ago
Yeah, they might switch your lamp on and off to annoy you :)
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)