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Hardware Hacking Guide — Citizen Engineer

Solderingfool writes "MAKE Magazine's Phil Torrone and open source hardware hacker Ladyada from Adafruit Industries have a new video series called 'Citizen Engineer.' In the first video they show how a SIM card works, then build a SIM card reader which could be used to clone a SIM card. They also show how to use an old payphone as a regular home phone, later with coins, and for their final hack — how to 'Redbox' it. They released all the projects as open source, and the video is well produced."

9 of 100 comments (clear)

  1. How long will it take for the FBI to ride? by VincenzoRomano · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I understand that they are just exploiting holes in design and implementation of telco stuff (SIMs, payphones, telco billing system),
    Maybe the fact that a hole is there doesn't mean you can expoit it.
    And, finally, does FBI understand it?

    --
    Maybe Computers will never be as intelligent as Humans.
    For sure they won't ever become so stupid. [VR-1988]
    1. Re:How long will it take for the FBI to ride? by negRo_slim · · Score: 2, Insightful

      And, finally, does FBI understand it?

      To the issues of 2600 at the book store in the mall, to the anarchist's cookbook and to the old text file archives of yore this information has been around for as long as we've wanted to learn it. Sure the FBI (or some other organization) might puff up with hubris but I doubt it and in fact I think it's high time we start seeing more things like this. And I think this place is a good start...

      --
      On the Oregon Cost born and raised, On the beach is where I spent most of my days
  2. Hole what hole? by TheLink · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why would it be wrong for me to backup my own SIM?

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  3. Re:Payphones? Redboxes? by jeiler · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Hacking in its purest form is not necessarily about being "useful," but about being interesting--an interesting hack may have no intrinsic utility whatsoever, but allows a person who is curious to do something that is new ... to them, at least.

    --

    If you haven't been down-modded lately, you aren't trying.

    Sacred cows make the best hamburger.

  4. Why video? by heptapod · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Online video is a waste of time and bandwidth unless it's porn.
    I can easily skim an article and review a diagram much quicker than watching a video. Text also provides an easier point of reference than fast forwarding and rewinding a video to find a pertinent bit of information.
    When it comes to online media the best innovation is no innovation at all.

  5. Re:Payphones? Redboxes? by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Funny, back when I was redboxing fortress fones, we did it for one reason: because we had to. We would have mercilessly ridiculed any dilettante who said he was building a redbox just for the knowledge. What knowledge is there to be had by following instructions off some text phile you d/l'd off some pirate BBS, anyway?

    --
    Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
  6. Re:Payphones? Redboxes? by ibbie · · Score: 2, Insightful

    What knowledge is there to be had by following instructions off some text phile you d/l'd off some pirate BBS, anyway?

    ... Uhm. Plenty.

    TLDR: Documentation is a Good Thing.

    I have to agree. If you didn't already know how to do it, then those instructions taught you how to do it. In fact, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that was the point of a tutorial: Teaching you how to do something.

    The Linux Documentation Project, at least, seems to think so.

    Normally I'm in favor of elitism, but when one goes to the extent of saying, "There's no point in this documentation because anyone worth anything already knows it." they're going a tad too far.

    --
    The wise follow a damned path, for to know is to be forsaken.
  7. Re:"Geek girl" that doesn't know how to screw righ by ptorrone · · Score: 4, Insightful

    @DarKlajid - when women give examples of why they're not so interested in being part of a community like this, or even go in to the technical fields your comment about a "geek girl that doesn't know how to screw" pretty much symbolizes why. i realize it's a joke, it's just not that funny. to joke like that and then say it's fake to discount her ability as an engineer would make any person steer away from putting themselves out there to be made fun of. yes, it's a joke. i don't take it seriously, it's easier that way. something to think about, each one of us can be the change we want to see in the world...

  8. Re:And those who are lazy by KGIII · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Oh man but the beautiful thing about having done it yourself is that you've done it yourself and learned a lot in the process. What you made might not be perfect but it is your creation.

    I have made many things from wood and they exist in houses around the area, some even across the country. (Some stuff went to Germany but I don't think I had much to do with that project.)

    I had a 2000 Ford Explorer Sport that turned the lights on automatically. That got totalled (no I wasn't driving it). I got a 2001 model of the same vehicle but the mirror didn't have the sensor. Dash drilling and several weeks later (figuring on a failed attempt too and wondering how I'd cover the hole I'd drilled prematurely) and the sensor is embedded in the dash *with a timer even* so that it works properly and doesn't just randomly turn the lights on when the vehicle goes under a shadow. (It was tougher than I had anticipated and my mishaps were plentiful.)

    Either way, it is something you did. Something only you did. Even if you go the directions from a site (I probably should have but didn't find one) the result is still your work and you will have learned so much from just having done so and (I think) will appreciate it so much more.

    --
    "So long and thanks for all the fish."