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Showing posts with label edge devices. Show all posts
Researchers
Agriculture industry AI technology Cyber Security Data protection edge devices encryption system Farming Industry IoT Researchers

South Dakota Researchers Develop Secure IoT-Based Crop Monitoring System

 

At the 2025 annual meeting of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, researchers from South Dakota State University unveiled a groundbreaking system designed to help farmers increase crop yields while reducing costs. This innovative technology combines sensors, biosensors, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence to monitor crop growth and deliver actionable insights. 

Unlike most projects that rely on simulated post-quantum security in controlled lab environments, the SDSU team, led by Professor Lin Wei and Ph.D. student Manish Shrestha, implemented robust, real-world security in a complete sensor-to-cloud application. Their work demonstrates that advanced, future-ready encryption can operate directly on small IoT devices, eliminating the need for large servers to safeguard agricultural data. 

The team placed significant emphasis on protecting the sensitive information collected by their system. They incorporated advanced encryption and cryptographic techniques to ensure the security and integrity of the vast datasets gathered from the field. These datasets included soil condition measurements—such as temperature, moisture, and nutrient availability—alongside early indicators of plant stress, including nutrient deficiencies, disease presence, and pest activity. Environmental factors were also tracked to provide a complete picture of field health. 

Once processed, this data was presented to farmers in a user-friendly format, enabling them to make informed management decisions without exposing their operational information to potential threats. This could include optimizing irrigation schedules, applying targeted fertilization, or implementing timely pest and disease control measures, all while ensuring data privacy.  

Cybersecurity’s role in agricultural technology emerged as a central topic at the conference, with many experts recognizing that safeguarding digital farming systems is as critical as improving productivity. The SDSU project attracted attention for addressing this challenge head-on, highlighting the importance of building secure infrastructure for the rapidly growing amount of agricultural data generated by smart farming tools.  

Looking ahead, the research team plans to further refine their crop monitoring system. Future updates may include faster data processing and a shift to solar-powered batteries, which would reduce maintenance needs and extend device lifespan. These improvements aim to make the technology even more efficient, sustainable, and farmer-friendly, ensuring that agricultural innovation remains both productive and secure in the face of evolving cyber threats.
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zero-day exploit
cryptomining malware cybersecurity threat edge devices malware PAN-OS vulnerability RedTail malware zero-day exploit

RedTail Cryptomining Malware Exploits Zero-Day Vulnerability in PAN-OS

 

Cryptomining malware, potentially of North Korean origin, is targeting edge devices, including a zero-day vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks' custom operating system that the company quickly patched in April. Researchers from Akamai identified the malware, dubbed RedTail due to its hidden "redtail" file name, indicating a sophisticated understanding of cryptomining.

The threat actors behind RedTail are likely operating their own mining pools or pool proxies instead of using public ones, aiming for greater control over mining outcomes despite the increased operational and financial costs of maintaining a private server. Akamai researchers noted that the hackers are using the newer RandomX algorithm for better efficiency and modifying the operating system configuration to use larger memory blocks, known as hugepages, to boost performance.

The use of private mining pools is a tactic reminiscent of North Korea's Lazarus Group, although Akamai has not directly attributed RedTail to any specific group. North Korea is known for its for-profit hacking operations, which include extensive cryptocurrency theft and other methods to evade sanctions (see: US FBI Busts North Korean IT Worker Employment Scams).

Initially spotted earlier this year, the RedTail malware has evolved to incorporate anti-research techniques, making it more difficult for security researchers to analyze and mitigate the threat. Akamai reports that the malware's operators quickly exploited the PAN-OS vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-3400, which allows attackers to create an arbitrary file enabling command execution with root user privileges (see: Likely State Hackers Exploiting Palo Alto Firewall Zero-Day).

Other notable targets include TP-Link routers, the China-origin content management system ThinkPHP, and Ivanti Connect Secure. Security researchers warn that advanced hackers, including state-sponsored threat actors, are increasingly focusing on edge devices due to their inconsistent endpoint detection and the proprietary software that complicates forensic analysis.
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