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Researchers from Zhejiang University, China, have outlined the technical details of the attack and alerted users about vulnerable points.
Hackers can manipulate Siri, Cortana, and other virtual assistants using ultrasonic commands.
The term DolphinAttack originates from dolphins using ultrasonic frequencies for communication. DolphinAttack can be utilized to control various mobile devices, computers, cars, and other smart devices, and can potentially be used to carry out other dangerous activities.
The researchers' report is quite detailed, explaining how they use frequencies above 20kHz to issue inaccessible commands that the target devices respond to.
Attacks are carried out using $3 audio hardware. In reality, the attacks are limited by factors including surrounding noise and distance. The attacker needs to be very close to the device and requires a quiet environment to successfully exploit the vulnerability.
Although the likelihood of a successful attack is not high, researchers also advise manufacturers to establish frequency limits that digital assistants react to.
Both Google Chromecast and Amazon Dash, along with possibly other devices, utilize ultrasonic frequencies for pairing purposes, with no frequency limitations.
With hackers capable of controlling Siri, Cortana, and other virtual assistants using ultrasonic commands, if you're a user of digital assistants like Siri, Cortana, Alexa, etc., consider disabling unnecessary virtual assistants, such as how Mytour previously introduced disabling Cortana on Windows 10.
