Hacked Oyster Card System Crashes Again

Barence sends along PcPro coverage of the second crash of London's Oyster card billing system in two weeks. Transport for London was forced to open the gates and allow free travel for all. "There is currently a technical problem with Oyster readers at London Underground stations which is affecting Oyster pay as you go cards only," explains the TfL website. This follows the first crash two weeks ago, which left 65,000 Oyster cards permanently corrupted. Speculation is increasing that the crashes may be related to the hacking of the Oyster card system by Dutch researchers from Radboud University, though TfL denies any link. Plans to publish details of the hack were briefly halted when the makers of the chip used in the system sued the group, although a judge ruled earlier this week that the researchers could go ahead. During the court action, details briefly leaked on website Wikileaks.

Comments

I don't know about this...

[erroneus]

...I'm not sure I can trust the news being provided in this case, but one thing is certain -- something smells fishy about this.

Re:I don't know about this...

[Anonymous Coward]

Those Oyster crackers must be up to no good!

What really happening is....

[benwiggy]

Can't you see, man? The Underground *wants* to be free!

If it isn't working...

[Anonymous Coward]

Guide for IT Managers When Deciding Blame.

1. Hackers did it! If hackers couldn't have done it...
2. Disgruntled employees did it! If disgruntled employees couldn't have done it...
3. It's the vendor's fault! If the vendor couldn't have done it...
4. It's our fault.

Now... Reverse the list and that's what really happened.

Re:If it isn't working...

[Coraon]

reminds me of my first day as an IT lead: The old lead as he is leaving hands me 3 envelopes and says that if I run into a problem that the bosses have to call me on open the first envelope, if it happens again the second and if it happens one more time open the 3rd. The first one told me to blame it on him, the second said to blame it on the team and lay a few people off. The third says "make 3 new envelopes..."

Please mind the gap...

[jwiegley]

between your card and our security.

Maybe somebody can convince Emma Clarke to provide us a nice cheeky voice-over for these sort of situations?

Oyster cards not working for you?

[sjonke]

You could always try the Spanish fly card

Operater Error

[Shadow Wrought]

Some set the reader from "Oyster" to "Clam." No word yet on whether or not other vendors will attempt to mussel into the market.

Re:Operater Error

[Golygydd Max]

Do you think they used Perl?

Sonic Problem in the Oyster System.

[jameskojiro]

It crashed because some schmuck needed a free ride on the subway and instead of using his psychic paper to get past the check point the idiot used his sonic screwdriver to bypass the system and crashed the servers. Don't blame the hackers, blame the police call box traveling schmuck who needed to be on the other side of London so he could save the world, again.

 

Re:So...

[cayenne8]

I prefer my oysters on the half shell, raw, with a bit of cocktail sauce (ketchup, horseradish, hot sauce, worchestershire and a bit of lemon juice.).

Never tried having oyster 'cards' before....

:)