Michael Tanji has a somewhat pessimistic, but not inaccurate account of “why US cyber security sucks” at Danger Room.
While, in general, cyber security is seen as something that is far off on the horizon or kids playing around, a story a year or so back drove home not just the fact that it’s a real problem… but that a 14 year old can do it. And did.
(Danger Room, The Telegraph)
Polish Teen Derails Tram After Hacking Train Network - January
“A Polish teenager allegedly turned the tram system in the city of Lodz into his own personal train set, triggering chaos and derailing four vehicles in the process. Twelve people were injured in one of the incidents…
He studied the trams and the tracks for a long time and then built a device that looked like a TV remote control and used it to manoeuvre the trams and the tracks," said Miroslaw Micor, a spokesman for Lodz police.
He had converted the television control into a device capable of controlling all the junctions on the line and wrote in the pages of a school exercise book where the best junctions were to move trams around and what signals to change…
Problems with the signalling system on Lodz's tram network became apparent on Tuesday when a driver attempting to steer his vehicle to the right was involuntarily taken to the left. As a result the rear wagon of the train jumped the rails and collided with another passing tram. Transport staff immediately suspected outside interference.” (The Register)
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