Slashdot Mirror
The Hacker Who Found the Secrets of the Next Xbox and PlayStation
An anonymous reader writes "Stephen Totilo at Kotaku has a long article detailing the exploits of an Australian hacker who calls himself SuperDaE. He managed to break into networks at Microsoft, Sony, and Epic Games, from which he retrieved information about the PS4 and next-gen Xbox 'Durango' (which turned out to be correct), and he even secured developer hardware for Durango itself. He uncovered security holes at Epic, but notified the company rather than exploiting them. He claims to have done the same with Microsoft. He hasn't done any damage or facilitated piracy with the access he's had, but simply breaching the security of those companies was enough to get the U.S. FBI to convince Australian authorities to raid his house and confiscate his belongings. In an age where many tech-related 'sources' are just empty claims, a lot of this guy's information has checked out. The article describes both SuperDaE's activities and a journalist's efforts to verify his claims."
In an age where many tech-related 'sources' are just empty claims, a lot of this guy's information has checked out.
And he still broke into other people's networks without permission. But I suppose that's OK here since the private info that he released was of interest to Slashdotters and was "accurate"? It was OK because the victims where Microsoft and Sony? Or, shall we see another case of the famous Slashdot Double Standard?
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
It starts out like this, a hacker looking for the latest games, then it leads to Global Thermonuclear War.
There seems to be this common misconception that a network can be broken into without causing any damage. Tell that to the IT department that has to re-flash and re-image every damn machine on the network to make sure no backdoors were left behind.
> he retrieved information about the PS4 and next-gen Xbox 'Durango' (which turned out to be correct)
"Durango" hasn't been revealed yet. How do we know his info is correct?
Ugh.
If some surfer dude from Oz can do this imagine what the Chinese Army and the TLAs have gotten into.
I don't know is this is good or bad, Mutually Assured Destruction can be a good thing, as well as can be the dissemination of information.
However it sure should give people pause when they put a server online. Or make their bank accounts available on the web.
It might be a case of not if but when.
yes, breaking in and taking information
people would oppose someone breaking into their house and stealing all their financial documents, but its apparently harmless to break in and commit industrial espionage
So, it's okay for the u.s government and even corporations to spy on our communications(facebook, phone calls, chats), emails, and whatever we upload to the cloud without a court warrant but when somebody does it to a corporation or government it's time for the feudal u.s system to go bat shit crazy on his/her ass. If u.s does not follow the constitution why should we, remember by the people for the people. Hah, who cares it's a feudal system. People just stop hacking it's not worth losing your life over.
Because no one seems to be blaming the companies like usual, no one is blindly angry for no reason and no one seems pissed off. Why? Because he stole information that users here find interesting.
I mean he did the same thing that hackers have done to companies before and you people lined up to spout the same comments and blame the companies for being hacked many many many times but now all the sudden you change your tune simply because he wasnt trying to steal personal information about you. He commited the same crime. Its like saying someone who breaks in your home to steal your wallet is bad, but if he breaks in and steals nothing then youre perfectly fine with it.
He broke the law, if his story is true, plain and simple. You're the one with twisted perspective on it. He had no right to access their networks or proprietary information. I hope they don't go TOO hard on him as he did seem to have relatively benign intentions, but he hacked into systems without permission. The companies in question did not contract him to do penetration testing or an overall security assessment.
You would think that after Geohot showed the way (not!), that people would leave
Sony alone to wither on the vine.
Friends don't let friends buy Sony Products.
You realize there are firms that sell that sort of security right? And academic programs on how to do so etc.
There are legit was to enter the business he simply chose a different route.
Summary: Kid breaks in networks of corporate entities, accesses trade secrets, purchases development hardware using fraudulent information, brags about it on the internet and then cries about being "ruined".
There is nothing "ethical" about any of this kid's shenanigans. He cried about them taking his toys away, and doesn't even realize he's going to pound-me-in-the-ass prison yet.
Moral of the story: Common sense eludes hacker.
Haven't we seen this movie before?
to gather information to 'one-up' your competition or to make yourself look good to your friends then you aren't very good. And in this case, breaking the law by breaking into companies is cheating.
this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom. -- Lincoln, Gettysburg Address
banking fraud can get you time in a FPMITA and he did it on the International level.
default passwords + open IP is a big issue and you don't even need to be a be good hack to pull that off.
Slashdot is linking to Kotaku content? Why not just link directly to blogspam (which, frankly, would be better quality than the link-bait drivel on Kotaku)?
at least have whistleblower protection and other stuff like company who use eula's to make you at fault for bugs or even website typo's that let you get pass security with out even trying to hack.
whistleblower protection is needed to cover stuff like what happened to Stephen Heller and others like him.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Election_Solutions
infiltrated or used some ones log on and password that maybe been in a other system that did not have millions sent on security
WE make sure that no good deed goes unpunished. no matter where you are in the world, do something good and we will find you and punish you.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Your computers and other electronic devices can be confiscated without warrants or your "permission" within 100 miles of the U.S. border without cause or suspicion because you have no right to privacy, and the contents of your phone can be examined by a police officer during a traffic stop, but their computers are private and protected by people with guns?
Right. Got it.
In the past, people would never have tolerated this. They'd have risen up against it and the evil bastards who propagated it.
Now, we're just weak little serfs in the new feudalism.
I would argue that he may have done a great deal of damage. Releasing plans for future products can tip off competitors. Information regarding future products can also result in a customer not purchasing what is currently available in anticipation for a future product. Both of these can mean millions of dollars in losses for a company.
I guess that is akin to saying a padlock only keeps honest people honest?
Memory is deceptive because it is colored by today's events. - Albert Einstein