The Code Report - Controversy of Rabbit R1

Jun 28, 2024

The Code Report - Controversy of Rabbit R1

Overview

  • Date: June 27, 2024
  • Focus: Catastrophic code vulnerability in the Rabbit R1 AI product.

Key Points

Introduction to Rabbit R1

  • Initially introduced at CES in January.
  • Received pre-order hype but failed to meet expectations.
  • Criticized for:
    • Uselessness.
    • Origins in crypto and NFT scams.
    • Being just an Android app under the hood.

The Catastrophic Code

  • Developers hard-coded API keys directly into the codebase.
  • Allows attackers to:
    • View every message ever sent on all devices.
    • Alter messages sent to the end-user.
    • Brick every R1 device in existence.
  • Discovered by a reverse-engineering group, Rabbito.

Detailed Findings

  • Rabbito obtained access to Rabbit's codebase on May 16.
  • Found hard-coded API keys for:
    • 11 Labs (AI text-to-speech platform).
    • Azure.
    • Yelp.
    • Google Maps.
  • 11 Labs vulnerability:
    • Critical as R1 uses 11 Labs for text-to-speech conversion.
    • If compromised, can read, change, or delete all R1 responses.
  • Other details suggest a potential insider leak of the code.

Response from Rabbit

  • Known about the exposed 11 Labs API key for a month.
  • Initially ignored the issue, hoping it would go away.
  • Recently rotated their API keys to mitigate risks.

Lessons on API Key Management

Risks of Hard-Coding API Keys

  • Security Risk: If exposed, attackers can retrieve and manipulate sensitive data.
  • Cost: Can lead to financial losses.
  • Public Exposure: Accidental push to public repos can be exploited by scraper bots.

Best Practices

  • Avoid Hard-Coding: Never put secret API keys in client-side code.
  • Key Rotation: Regularly rotate API keys (every 30-90 days, or more frequently for high-profile apps).
  • Use Secrets Management Tools: Encrypt API keys and manage access securely (e.g., AWS Secrets Manager).

Additional Recommendations

  • Audit Code Regularly: Regular audits can identify and fix vulnerabilities early.
  • Logging: Ensure any access to sensitive keys is logged to detect unauthorized activities.
  • Disposal of Vulnerable Devices: Consumers are humorously advised to dispose of Rabbit R1 devices due to underlying risks.

Conclusion and Recommendations

  • Rabbit R1 demonstrates severe oversights in secure coding practices and response measures.
  • Points to the need for stringent security practices when developing and managing AI products.

Closing

  • Stay tuned for more updates and best practices on secure development in future episodes.

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