Security News > 2020 > October > Comcast cable remotes hacked to snoop on conversations
Dubbed WarezThe Remote, the attack allowed taking over the remote and snooping on conversations from at least 65 feet, making possible a "Van parked outside" scenario.
Unlike regular remotes that use infrared, Comcast's XR11 relies on radiofrequency to communicate with cable set-top boxes and comes with a built-in microphone to allow voice commands.
Knowing these details, the researchers could respond with a plaintext packet telling the remote that a firmware update is available and to flash the XR11 test unit.
To activate the microphone for the voice control function, the researchers reverse-engineered the remote's firmware to find the code for the voice recording button.
Update [10/07/2020]: In a statement for BleepingComputer, Comcast underlines that the vulnerabilities are no longer affecting Xfinity X1 Voice Remotes, eliminating the possibility of a WarezTheRemote attack.