Slashdot Mirror
14-Year-Old Turns Tram System Into Personal Train Set
F-3582 writes "By modifying a TV remote a 14-year-old boy from Lodz, Poland, managed to gain control over the junctions of the tracks. According to The Register the boy had 'trespassed in tram depots to gather information needed to build the device. [...] Transport command and control systems are commonly designed by engineers with little exposure or knowledge about security using commodity electronics and a little native wit.' Four trams derailed in the process injuring a number of passengers. The boy is now looking at 'charges at a special juvenile court of endangering public safety.'"
Well hopefully these same engineers are not the ones designing their nuclear power plants!
And not that I have anything aginst the Polish, but on some level there is probably a kernel of truth in all those polish jokes.
"driver attempting to steer his vehicle to the right was involuntarily taken to the left."
;-)
Uh. Sounds about right...
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
That 14 year old obviously has no life, plays video games and is probably fat due to the fact he does not go out and eat McDonald's.
I'm glad that slashdotters do not control the judiciary system
Lawyer: My client is innocent because he only wronged stupid people.
After all, if they hadn't been stupid, he could not have done
what he did.
Slashdot minded Judge: Case dismissed.
This kid committed a crime, damaged public property, and endangered the lives of the people on the train. He is not a terrorist but he is definitely a criminal. Fortunately the consequences of his actions did not result in loss of life but breaking a public transportation system because you're bored and like to tinker with technology is pretty serious. I'm sure that whomever was riding the train was terrified when it derailed and I'm sure some of them thought that the derailment could have been the result of a botched terrorist attack. Bottom line is . . If you don't want to be accused of terrorism don't derail trains! In this case it was just a stupid kid but it would be an equally stupid act to dismiss an unexplained train derailment and not investigate the possibility that a terrorist or other group with malicious intent was the cause.