Anyone surprised that drones are the future of cybercrime?
Computerworld.com reported that “The rapid evolution of consumer drone technology is reshaping its potential uses in many ways, including its application in cyberattacks.
Modern consumer drones are quieter, faster, and equipped with longer battery life, enabling them to operate further from their operators. They can autonomously navigate obstacles, track moving objects, and capture high-resolution imagery or video.” The April 10, 2025 article entitled “Drones are the future of cybercrime” (https://www.computerworld.com/article/3958458/drones-are-the-future-of-cybercrime.html) included these comments about other uses for drones in cyberattacks:
Network sniffing and spoofing: Drones can be equipped with small, modifiable computers such as a Raspberry Pi to sniff out information about Wi-Fi networks, including MAC addresses and SSIDs. The drone can then mimic a known Wi-Fi network, and if unsuspecting individuals or devices connect to it, hackers can intercept sensitive information such as login credentials.
Denial-of-service attacks: Drones can carry devices to perform local de-authentication attacks, disrupting communications between a user and a Wi-Fi access point. They can also carry jamming devices to disrupt Wi-Fi or other wireless communications.
Physical surveillance: Drones equipped with high-quality cameras can be used for physical surveillance to observe shift changes, gather information on security protocols, and plan both physical and cyberattacks by identifying potential entry points or vulnerabilities. Thermal imagers can even detect temperature variations to locate sensitive equipment such as servers.
Data interception: Drones can be modified to intercept various wireless communications, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and RFID signals, to steal data. For example, a drone could target Bluetooth-connected keyboards to record keystrokes and potentially obtain usernames and passwords.
Delivery of malicious hardware: Drones can carry and drop off small devices like Raspberry Pis or Wi-Fi Pineapple devices near a target building to infiltrate networks from within close proximity. These devices can then be used to conduct various cyberattacks.
Delivery of malicious software: While less explicitly detailed for consumer drones, the concept of weaponized drones carrying malware (as in the Ukraine conflict) suggests a potential path for malicious actors.
Attacking physical infrastructure supporting cyber systems: Drones could be used to physically attack infrastructure that supports cyber operations, such as rooftop cooling systems for data centers, causing disruptions that could lead to data loss or system failures.
What do you think?