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Hacked Oyster Card System Crashes Again

Posted by kdawson on from the no-pearls-in-sight dept.

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.

11 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. It's not been hacked by Jellybob · · Score: 4, Informative

    According to The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/25/london.transport) it's because Transys, who the Oyster system is contracted out to, are sending incorrect data.

    I'll admit, when I got to the underground station this morning to hear about an "Oyster card problem" which meant that all the gates were open, my first thought was that someone had used the exploit to do unpleasant things to their network, but I think it's just wishful thinking.

    If it carries on like this, I might stop paying for a travelcard, since it seems every couple of weeks everyone gets to travel for free anyway ;)

  2. I don't know about this... by erroneus · · Score: 4, Funny

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

  3. What really happening is.... by benwiggy · · Score: 5, Funny

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

  4. Wikileaks problems? by wile_e_wonka · · Score: 4, Interesting

    details briefly leaked on website Wikileaks

    What? "briefly" leaked? Does this mean Wikileaks removed those details? I thought that was against Wikileaks policy.

    1. Re:Wikileaks problems? by internewt · · Score: 5, Informative

      The doc that appeared on Wikileaks was an older document about the cards, not the current doc that details the cloning, so thats why it was removed.
      https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Censored_Milfaire_Classic_Oyster_Card_break_paper_2008

      --
      Car analogies break down.
  5. No cards will be corrupted this time .... by Aceticon · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ... bullshit.

    This morning when I was exiting from the destination tube station (the system crashed while I was traveling) there was both one guy shouting and announcements through the information system telling us not to "touch out your card" (meaning, don't have it read by the reader).

    If there is no risk of the cards being corrupted, why where they giving us those instructions?

  6. If it isn't working... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

    1. Re:If it isn't working... by Coraon · · Score: 5, Funny

      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..."

      --
      -Ours is the wisdom of Solomon, the magic of Merlyn, the fall of Icaris.
  7. Operater Error by Shadow+Wrought · · Score: 4, Funny

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

    --
    If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
    1. Re:Operater Error by Golygydd+Max · · Score: 5, Funny

      Do you think they used Perl?

  8. Re:So... by xaxa · · Score: 4, Informative

    If the system is a bit broken (i.e. some people's cards wouldn't work in the gates) they tend to open all the gates in all the stations to avoid congestion (most people, if their card/ticket doesn't work, try again, then again, then turn round to move away and are faced with 1000 people wanting to go the other way. It slows things down a lot.).