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Report: Watch Dogs Game May Have Influenced Highway Sign Hacking

Posted by Soulskill on from the video-games-caused-the-holocaust dept.

An anonymous reader writes 'Earlier this month, at least three U.S. states reported that a hacker had broken into electronic road signs above major highways, with the hacker leaving messages for people to follow him on Twitter. The Multi-State Information Sharing an Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) produced an intelligence report blaming a Saudi Arabian hacker that the organization says likely got the idea from Watch Dogs, a new video in which game play revolves around "hacking," with a focus on hacking critical infrastructure-based electronic devices in particular. "Watch Dogs allows players to hack electronic road signs, closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs), street lights, cell phones and other systems. On May 27, 2014, the malicious actor posted an image of the game on his Twitter feed, demonstrating his interest in the game, and the compromise of road signs occurs during game play. CIS believes it is likely that a small percentage of Watch Dogs players will experiment with compromising computers and electronic systems outside of game play, and that this activity will likely affect SSLT [state, local, tribal and territorial] government systems and Department of Transportation (DOT) systems in particular." The signs allowed telnet and were secured with weak or default passwords. The report came out on the same day that The Homeland Security Department cautioned transportation operators about a security hole in some electronic freeway billboards that could let hackers display bogus warnings to drivers.'

105 of 154 comments (clear)

  1. Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Sell more of these type games!

    1. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by UltraZelda64 · · Score: 1

      No... the real solution is, quit fucking putting such high-tech god damn road signs on the highways. Since when the fuck did the traditional pure metal signs go out of style? The roadsides don't need such expensive hackable junk. In fact, if they're electronic, programmable and have giant screens of some sort, I'd have a hard time even calling them "signs" in the first place. Just go back to the basics. How hard is it to figure out?

    2. Re: Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Sometimes the message they need to display changes

    3. Re: Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Lumpy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      90% of those are called on the father by the vengeful bitch that is trying to punish the father.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    4. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Aqualung812 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Since when the fuck did the traditional pure metal signs go out of style?

      Since we figured out that electronically changing the message on a sign was MUCH more cost effective than printing a new one each time the message changed.

      "Road closed from June 1st to June 14th" Oh, shit, now we need one that says "No left turn from 8a-5p until August 1st", I guess will order a new sign...

      Also, don't discount the usefulness of re-routing traffic when there is a large planned or unplanned event, like a sports event or an Interstate closing because of a massive wreck.

      --
      Grammer Nazis - I mod you "troll" unless you actually add something on-topic. Yes, I know I have mispellings in my sig.
    5. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      No... the real solution is, quit fucking putting such high-tech god damn road signs on the highways. Since when the fuck did the traditional pure metal signs go out of style? The roadsides don't need such expensive hackable junk. In fact, if they're electronic, programmable and have giant screens of some sort, I'd have a hard time even calling them "signs" in the first place. Just go back to the basics. How hard is it to figure out?

      Ironically this is the same person who carries around a smartphone and talks shit about road signs being "expensive hackable junk".

      Yeah, speaking of going back to basics, how hard is a goddamn land line to use these days? Oh, you NEED social media in the palm of your hand? Ah, OK, yeah got it...rant on Kettle, rant on...

    6. Re: Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by craigminah · · Score: 2

      You comment on the father/mother bias but not the redneck bias...interesting.

    7. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by craigminah · · Score: 1

      Use prisoners to make those signs...sure, there will be shank-shaped pieces missing, but it'll be cheap and will help control the prison population.

    8. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by cheesybagel · · Score: 2

      Uplink: Hacker Elite was kewl.

    9. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Cryacin · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Pffft. Kids have been "hacking" signs for years. I remember when I was a kid, there was a place called Fairy Falls Creek. A couple of my university friends went and made a professional quality sign, in the same colour, and font as the existing sign, and renamed the area to Hairy Balls Creek. The fact that there were round rocks covered in hairy moss made the sign very plausible. So plausible, that after a few years, even the local tourism guides quoted Hairy Balls Creek.

      You don't need to be high tech to engage in social engineering and changing signs.

      That said, if you're going to make it convenient to change your signs, be sure to make them secure. If you can't ensure your level of security, don't blame a game for your ineptitude.

      --
      Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
    10. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by mysidia · · Score: 2

      the real solution is, quit fucking putting such high-tech god damn road signs on the highways. Since when the fuck did the traditional pure metal signs go out of style?

      The Low-tech metal signs are hackable too. Ever heard of this stuff called spray-paint?

    11. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Fjandr · · Score: 4, Funny

      It's pretty hard for a kid in Saudi Arabia to spray paint signs all over North America.

    12. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by rainmaestro · · Score: 2

      You'd be surprised. Most work programs are run by corporations nowadays (I used to work in the IT dept for one). It isn't like the old days where inmates were making products that sold for pennies on the dollar, prices at the company I worked for were good but typically were not that far below the industry averages. And as far as prison control, the inmates who made it into our programs were the low-risk ones that didn't need that much control to begin with. Typically they were "light" criminals with 2 year sentences. The high-risk inmates weren't considered viable for the programs.

    13. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by __aajfby9338 · · Score: 1

      Pffft. Kids have been "hacking" signs for years. I remember when I was a kid, there was a place called Fairy Falls Creek. A couple of my university friends went and made a professional quality sign, in the same colour, and font as the existing sign, and renamed the area to Hairy Balls Creek. The fact that there were round rocks covered in hairy moss made the sign very plausible. So plausible, that after a few years, even the local tourism guides quoted Hairy Balls Creek.

      Epic! I salute the miscreants who pulled that off.

    14. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Xolvix · · Score: 1

      Sounds like you're proposing that we don't bother trying to develop more flexible and capable signs because what's existed for years is good enough (despite advances in technology). Sure, we can sit back and let things stagnate because it's "how we've always done it", but you're hardly going to find new and interesting ways to put a modern spin on old tech just by keeping things as they were.

      Just because electronic signs have disadvantages does not mean that static signs don't have their own disadvantages.

    15. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      just needs a higher pressure can.

    16. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      You needn't go Luddite whenever something technical got abused. But we have to KNOW what we're doing when employing technology so it cannot be turned against us.

      Technology is neither good or evil. It's most blatant with guns, but any kind of gadget or technology cannot be good or evil by itself. It's the application that makes it so. And when we want to use technology for good, for the betterment of ourselves or our society, we also have to safeguard it against abuse by those that want to hurt or destroy.

      That's part of our responsibility if we want to use it. Just as you have to lock your guns away from your kids, you have to lock your online tools from the hands of those that want to abuse them. Privilege comes with responsibility. Always.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    17. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      It just had nothing to do with hacking. But it sure was entertaining.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    18. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by xOneca · · Score: 1

      Oblig xkcd: Astronaut vandalism

    19. Re: Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Lumpy · · Score: 1

      He only said redneck not a Chevy Tahoe owner. That is unforgivable.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    20. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by ganjadude · · Score: 1

      all depends on the signs. Id LOVE for highways in america to implement digital speed limit signs that they can adjust according to traffic, like they do in germany on the autobahn. again on highways if theres an accident ahead, or roadwork those signs are awesome.

      the problem isnt with the signs, its with the techs who dont lock the access panels when they are done setting them up

      --
      have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
    21. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by mrchaotica · · Score: 1

      Id LOVE for highways in america to implement digital speed limit signs that they can adjust according to traffic

      The northern half of I-285 in Atlanta is getting those soon.

      the problem isnt with the signs, its with the techs who dont lock the access panels when they are done setting them up

      The signs aren't "setup and forget," they're controlled in real-time from a central office. They have to be remotely accessible.

      The real issue is that DOTs are not like ecommerce or tech startups; they just don't have the right kind of expertise (or budget, probably) to think about cybersecurity in the way that they need to.

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    22. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by ganjadude · · Score: 1

      i see, I didnt RTFA, where i live the signs are still controlled from a access panel on the devices not remotely, although that does make more sense

      --
      have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
    23. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by anagama · · Score: 1

      Why do you own a smartphone that doesn't have an internet connection? You might as well just get a landline.

      --
      What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
    24. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by cheesybagel · · Score: 1

      Yeah but Watch Dogs has nothing to do with real life hacking either.

    25. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by mea2214 · · Score: 1

      In 1984 University of Illinois got killed by UCLA in the Rose Bowl. Near the end of the game someone hacked the scoreboard to replace UCLA's name with MIT (the victor) and Illinois' name with CalTech. Never heard anything more as to how they did that but it was pretty funny after suffering through a boring one sided football game.

    26. Re: Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by DarwinSurvivor · · Score: 1

      Many areas have roads whos conditions change with the weather or other scenerios. Mountain passes can be closed due to heavy snow, highways can have reduced traffic from a large accident, detours can be set up for long-term (but sporatic) construction, etc.

    27. Re: Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Talderas · · Score: 1

      90% + 10% = 100% of all amber alerts are bullshit. Almost true.

      --
      "Lack of speed can be overcome. In the worst case by patience." --Znork
    28. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by Pope · · Score: 1

      When I was a kid, my mom was driving me to school one day, and someone had spraypainted the word "breast" onto the bottom of a "Squeeze Left" sign. She pointed it out to me and we had a good chuckle.

      --
      It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
    29. Re:Well then the SOLUTION is obvious by cwsumner · · Score: 1

      ... "Road Closed" and "No Left Turn" work just as well, and those signs have existed for longer than most of us here have. You don't have to worry about hacking, they're sturdy against most impact damage, and you don't need electricity keep them going..

      It's not the electronic signs, it being too lazy to use a decent password!

  2. Sign hacking has been done for ages by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    but to do it to plug their own twitter account? Now that's an idiotic new low.

    Idiocracy in effect...

    1. Re:Sign hacking has been done for ages by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      A true guru would have created a webpage where people can alter the sign content on the fly, with a webcam pointing at it so you can see your creation.

      Pfft. Amateur.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  3. SMH by Hategrin · · Score: 2

    Classic example of an idiot confusing causation with correlation.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C...

    1. Re:SMH by plover · · Score: 3

      It's not like the game taught him to hack.

      --
      John
    2. Re:SMH by dissy · · Score: 1

      But I bet the game didn't even bother changing the default passwords on the real world signs. Clearly this was all the games fault ;P

    3. Re:SMH by mrxak · · Score: 2

      And here I thought the reason they included that into the game was because lots of people were doing this already and the game was inspired by real life.

      --
      -mrxak
      Onions Will Kill You
  4. And in other news by future+assassin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    people getting fed up with the gov are going on killing sprees. Gov at fault, let ban it.

    --
    by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
    1. Re:And in other news by cwsumner · · Score: 1

      people getting fed up with the gov are going on killing sprees. Gov at fault, let ban it.

      Sounds like a good idea to me! 8-)

  5. more quality moderation/editing: by frovingslosh · · Score: 1, Interesting

    more quality moderation/editing:

    SSLT [state, local, tribal and territorial]

    So does the T stand for tribal or territorial, and WTF does the second S stand for? Soulskill?

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
    1. Re:more quality moderation/editing: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      I am the Commander of The CLIT.

  6. Don't think the game matters by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 2

    Personally, I've always thought it would be amusing to hack one of those signs and I've never heard of the game "Watch Dogs."

    "Help! I'm trapped in a highway sign factory!" is the most obvious message, but I'm sure I could come up with a bunch of random messages to put in...

    1. Re:Don't think the game matters by Mashiki · · Score: 2

      "Long cat is long" is in the game, I have seen that on the MTO highway signs here in Ontario. Which are used for traffic warnings.

      --
      Om, nomnomnom...
    2. Re:Don't think the game matters by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      "Incoming nuclear attack est. 20min."

    3. Re:Don't think the game matters by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Way ahead of you.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    4. Re:Don't think the game matters by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      That would be as illegal as shouting FIRE! in a crowded theatre.

      Very very BAD idea, and not funny!

    5. Re:Don't think the game matters by Guppy · · Score: 1

      Fine, then. "Incoming rabid flying kitten swarm est. 20min".

    6. Re:Don't think the game matters by Qzukk · · Score: 1

      Clearly your job is to warn everyone of the impending zombie apocalypse

      --
      If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
    7. Re:Don't think the game matters by Quirkz · · Score: 1

      Road Ends, Convert to Hover Mode

      --
      The Quirkz Handbook of Self-Improvement for People Who Are Already Pretty Okay
  7. Much older than that game by meerling · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I heard about road signs being reprogrammed back in the 90s. This is nothing new.

    1. Re:Much older than that game by Lumpy · · Score: 3, Informative

      Yup, back in the 90's all you had to do was wardial and find the sign's dial in. most of the time the password was retarded simple like 12345.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    2. Re:Much older than that game by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 4, Informative

      It's also happened fairly recently before the game came out, warning people about the city being closed because it's too hot, zombies, and GODZILLA.

      --
      Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
    3. Re:Much older than that game by iamhigh · · Score: 1

      Dude, I even got a story accepted on this 5 years ago (although can't say it was remotely hacked).

      http://slashdot.org/submission/935687/hackers-and-zombies-attack-austin-tx

      --
      No comprende? Let me type that a little slower for you...
    4. Re:Much older than that game by Z00L00K · · Score: 1

      The balance between the risk of having a sign hacked with a funny text or not being used because it's too complicated has to be considered.

      Most signs haven't been hacked, drivers are usually used to incorrect information anyway and just consider a hacked sign a change from the normal boring commute.

      Can as well have a standard text "Laser wielding cop behind this sign, max 20mph".

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
    5. Re:Much older than that game by Anubis350 · · Score: 1

      For that matter back when I was in HS I seem to remember some changed messages on the NYC subway because some of the signs were programmed via infrared with no protection (and the port left uncovered), and you could reprogram them with a palm pilot or laptop with an IR port.

      --
      "goodbye and hello, as always" ~Prince Corwin, from Zelazny's Amber series
    6. Re:Much older than that game by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Yes, but this is: ON THE INTERNET!

      If legislative is any indicator, that's something completely different now.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  8. Oh god. by PhrostyMcByte · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Instead of rational articles with headlines something like:

    Insecure government process allows trivial unauthorized access to road infrastructure

    We get ones focusing on how a game may have encouraged people to hack into the stuff. I don't think it'll ever end.

    1. Re:Oh god. by Nimey · · Score: 1

      That's a symptom of why I never share Slashdot stories on social media: this place has about zero credibility.

      --
      Hail Eris, full of mischief...

      E pluribus sanguinem
    2. Re:Oh god. by Shadow+of+Eternity · · Score: 1

      This. Flipping open a box and typing in "Password" isn't hacking anymore than pushing open a door is picking a lock.

      --
      A bullet may have your name on it but splash damage is addressed "To whom it may concern."
  9. Maybe Ubisoft made this press release by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    So they can sell more copies of the failing Watch Dogs game. The graphics turned out to be terrible compared to the videos, and the gameplay is below that of older GTA V. The DRM system (UPlay) is a nightmare on PC.

    I'd bet they are welcoming any press they can get.

    1. Re:Maybe Ubisoft made this press release by RogueyWon · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I don't disagree with you on the quality of the game. Unfortunately, in this case, Ubisoft are laughing all the way to the bank, because it's the fastest selling game not based on an existing IP in history and has posted the best opening weekend sales of any Ubisoft game in history. And this is despite the terrible PC port, the uPlay problems affecting all platforms, the limp plot and character designs that feel straight out of the notebook doodles of a 13 year old who still thinks wearing a trench-coat makes you cool and the laughable implementation of the core "hacking" concept.

      So sure, while it would be nice to think that Ubisoft is sitting there feeling sad and desperate, it's simply not true.

      But if you're reading this and thinking you need something shiny and new to play on your PC or new PS4/Xbox One, then be advised that the new Wolfenstein is a far better game in every respect (an actual proper shooter, rather than a 2-gun corridor game).

    2. Re:Maybe Ubisoft made this press release by RogueyWon · · Score: 1

      The same way PC ports sometimes go horribly wrong - terrible mouse and keyboard support and a lack of technical optimisation that is causing framerate issues on $6,000 test-PCs. Plus uPlay.

      Ports like this are less common than they used to be, but the odd one still sneaks through. Especially from Ubisoft.

  10. Yes, lets blame video games by Nyder · · Score: 4, Funny

    Video games are the big evil. They are murderer trainers and hacking instructors. They fill our kids with all sort of evil ideas and shows them how to properly and easily do them in the real world.

    Fucking twats. People been hacking non electric street signs since those have been coming out. And I'm pretty sure you'll find other peeps have been hacking electric sings way before this (I know I've seen them). What makes this big? Oh ya, a video game came out where you can hack signs. Easy to blame the game, since obviously video games are responsible for the shooting the other day also.

    --
    Be seeing you...
    1. Re:Yes, lets blame video games by Dahamma · · Score: 2

      People been hacking non electric street signs since those have been coming out

      Yeah, seriously... someone is smart enough to hack a street sign, but not smart enough to think of it? I'd say there are probably 100 people who would think "hey it would be cool to hack that sign" for every one who is capable of doing it.

      The kind of people who can be influenced by a silly hacker video game are not often those with the intelligence to do anything about it.

    2. Re:Yes, lets blame video games by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      It's computer games! Computer games, I tell you!

      Before GTA, nobody hit hookers or used cars as getaway vehicles! And the older ones here might still remember what a place of love and joy this planet was before Battlefield introduced people to a way to kill each other.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  11. maybe it's this, by djconsultingmeister · · Score: 1

    Homeland Security Dept. reports security hole in some electronic billboards that could allow hacks.

    --
    CrazyOldMan
  12. Dwarf Fortress made me masturbate to midgets by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    with beards!

    1. Re:Dwarf Fortress made me masturbate to midgets by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Mod parent informative.

    2. Re:Dwarf Fortress made me masturbate to midgets by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 2

      Overinformative I would say.

      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
  13. Did they even bother to change the passwords? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Back when I was a kid the passwords were all "DOT". Then they wised up and changed them all to "DOT1".

  14. L.A. Story? by Irate+Engineer · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'd hack a sign to say "KISS HER YOU FOOL" or "THAT FELT GOOD". That should make things interesting.

    --

    Left MS Windows for Linux Mint and never looked back!

    Vote for Bernie in 2016!

    1. Re:L.A. Story? by Dahamma · · Score: 1

      Damn, I just posted or I'd have modded this one up :)

    2. Re:L.A. Story? by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      Well, here's a quick summary of a few of the more interesting or funny sign hacks I've seen:

      "The British R coming"
      "Why join the Navy when you can be a pirate"
      "Snowden is a hero"
      "Report sign hackers"
      "City closed. It's too damn hot"
      "Caution! 7 hacked road signs ahead!"
      "Extreme Fire hazard! Don't even fart in the forest"
      (on a church announcement sign) "Staying in bed and shouting Oh God! Does not constitute going to church"

      But aside of that, most hacked signs are some variant of "zombie attack incoming". It's actually rather sad how little imagination the average sign hacker has.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  15. So security via Obfuscation was a good idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Why blame a game for an issue that has existed for years/decades. Security via obfuscation is not security. Obfuscation is the equivalent of hiding the key under the doormat, and hoping that nobody looks.

    The flaw is the trust in existing security. Even if it is know quite well that it is flawed, and easily broken. So what is the easiest solution? As opposed to blaming the completely open and flawed security practices that have been know to be flawed for decades, it is easier to place the blame on what has brought it into the open, than fix the actual problem itself.

    The keys to the kingdom are accessible by anybody. We just give them a weird name in hopes that nobody finds it.

    1. Re:So security via Obfuscation was a good idea by Z00L00K · · Score: 1

      This is also a case where too much security may be counter-productive. It shall be possible to assign any random person at a construction site to go change a text to be suitable for the moment. If not then the wrong text may be displayed leading to worse problems.

      A possibility exists to only allow selection between pre-programmed texts without authentication, but even then it would cause headache in some cases.

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
  16. This happened 20 years ago by statemachine · · Score: 3, Funny

    Some guy hacked freeway condition signs in LA with cryptic messages and weather reports, and even installed a set of remote-operable bagpipes in one.

    The hacker went to jail later for a series of 419 scams.

  17. lol by nicobigsby · · Score: 2

    Hackers gonna hack right? This guy obviously had the necessary skillset to hack "critical infrastructure" before the game released. I mean unless they want us to believe that anybody inspired by a video game can learn how to hack such things in the span of a little over a month, this guy already had the skillset. So are they implying that the game provided the motivation? Last time I checked, hackers didn't need video games to provide them with motivation. Likely the guy is a fan of Watchdogs both because it is a fun game, and because he is intelligent enough to tie his activities to a popular video game in order to boost his notoriety. Of course a small percentage of fans of the game will experiment with such things. But chances are, these were already people that were likely to do such things. What we can look forward to now is the media going on and on about every single hack like this and trying to tie it to the game. Just waiting for one of these media dinosaurs to come along and talk about how the game is basically hacking practice.

  18. Thank you by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Watch_Dogs. That shit should be hardened already.

  19. OMG! Think of the children! by tlambert · · Score: 1

    OMG! Think of the children!

    Won't someone, please, please, regulate these games so that I can know that San Jose is 18 minutes away because they are monitoring the FastTrak in places they said they wouldn't be monitoring the FastTrak, rather than reading an amusing sign for a good 5-10 seconds?

    Or, you know, come up with a video game that espouses my socioreligious value system, but doesn't actually suck to play (you know, like my socioreligious value system), so that kids imitate that instead?

  20. It's an improvement, I guess by Sprinkels · · Score: 3, Funny

    They use to shoot people after playing video games.

    1. Re:It's an improvement, I guess by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      The older ones amongst us might still remember that peaceful time of joy and love before computer games taught people how to shoot at each other.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  21. You don't need to know to hack by Sprinkels · · Score: 1

    There's an app for that.

    1. Re:You don't need to know to hack by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Considering how "well" the whole thing was secured, I'm actually amazed that there isn't.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  22. Or as happened on I-90 here in Washington... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    .. only a few days ago, when a major accident blocks access to every lane, including the exit to another large highway (I-405), except the carpool lane. Having all the road signs telling people to merge to the carpool lane, and the carpool lane was now open to all, is useful.

    That said, with respect to the article, I don't understand. You mean to say zombies aren't ahead?

  23. Nothing to do with Watch_Dogs by ildon · · Score: 1

    People have been modifying the text on these signs for almost a decade. Most companies don't even bother to change the password from the default.

    1. Re:Nothing to do with Watch_Dogs by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Next time get Goat Simulator. It delivers what it promises.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  24. Weed valley by TapeCutter · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The town of Nimbin in Northern NSW is famous for it's weed, they try to attract tourists from the gold coast, they have a weed museum, fashionable hemp clothing, tourist trinkets, and once a year they have a weed Mardi Gras. It's located in the Tweed valley and the main road out of town leads to a town on the coast called Tweed heads. There's been an uneasy "live and let live" relationship with the local police for decades, the practical outcome is there's much less crime and vandalism than (say) the gold coast.

    Having said that, there isn't a single road sign in the district that still has the 'T' intact. :)

    --
    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
    1. Re:Weed valley by __aajfby9338 · · Score: 1

      It's too bad that Bullock's isn't still around. Those "L"s on the sign really begged to be crossed with a piece of tape...

    2. Re:Weed valley by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Surely cross the top of the u - less tape needed and arguably funnier ;-)

    3. Re:Weed valley by DarwinSurvivor · · Score: 1

      There's a highschool near where I grew up called "Tweedsmuir". Every year at the end of the school year, the grade 12 grads would steal the "T" off the sign. One year the principle, knowing about the tradition, made an announcement threatening the grads "if anyone took the "T" off the sign". He said he'd with-hold report cards, cancel some event, or something like that. The next day they discovered that someone had taken *all* the letters, leaving only the "T".

  25. Who is retarded enough by ruir · · Score: 2

    To connect vital infra-structure as traffic signs to the Internet-at-large?

    1. Re:Who is retarded enough by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      The same kind of really intelligent people that connect power plants, traffic lights and emergency services to it.

      In other words, traffic signs are by some stretch our least problem when it comes to that shit.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  26. Re:That game should be required to graduate by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    So we get politicians who are even MORE scared of the big bad evilz trying to hack the country and who think that everyone is out to get them because they get their information about hacking and its possibilities from Hollywood and computer games?

    Thanks, but no thanks. We have plenty of them already.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  27. Oh yeah, because without the game, nobody would've by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    Amazing. The game hasn't been out for longer than a week but a Google image search for "hacked sign" produces like a billion pictures of various people immediately going out and doing what they learn from the game!

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  28. Re:so about those other ones? by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    Because it's easier to blame video games than to admit that people use technology they don't understand AND THEN complain about people who know how to use it playing pranks on them?

    You've never gotten into trouble for making a teacher look bad because you showed him how he knows less about his subject than you?

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  29. Re:Because Obviously... by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    Yeah. Haven't you learned how to hack from a computer game?

    I somehow really feel like writing a game that DOES actually teach people how to hack.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  30. Gah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    When will these assholes in charge, stop blaming anything besides themselves and their own department, when explaining issues with theis own department/system?

  31. How do you have CCTVs?!? by GNious · · Score: 1

    How can you hack Closed-Circuit Television cameras?
    If you can access them from the outside, they are clearly not having a Closed Circuit (limited, controlled, separated distribution of signal)

  32. Re:Because Obviously... by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    Well, in this particular case, .hack//SIGN would be the more logical information source.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  33. Awesome and effective advertising by mekkab · · Score: 1

    Ubisoft must be lapping this up! You can't pay for advertising this good! Congrats!

    --
    In the future, I would want to not be isolated from my friends in the Space Station.
  34. telnet and default passwords .. by lippydude · · Score: 1

    "The signs allowed telnet and were secured with weak or default passwords"

    Perhaps they should thank this "malicious actor" for drawing attention to such weak security. What moron connected these systems to the Internet using telnet and default passwords?

  35. achievement unlocked: Hack Signs IRL by ze_jua · · Score: 1

    Ubisoft is a French company. Watch Dogs was made in Ubi Montreal. Let's blame the French for hacking the US!

  36. If only... by Balial · · Score: 1

    If only more officials had played the game so they could learn about the risks and prevent them.

  37. Hate the new reports so much by Bitbyte_x · · Score: 1

    It's not like This has never ever been done before : http://jalopnik.com/5141430/ho... God forbid that the sole purpose of this brand new state of the art attack is this game

  38. All Your Base Are Belong To Us. by DrPeper · · Score: 1

    Would have been the perfect message to have posted on these signs.

  39. Correlation == Causality Time! by DiEx-15 · · Score: 1

    Video games are the big evil. They are murderer trainers and hacking instructors. They fill our kids with all sort of evil ideas and shows them how to properly and easily do them in the real world.

    Fucking twats. People been hacking non electric street signs since those have been coming out. And I'm pretty sure you'll find other peeps have been hacking electric sings way before this (I know I've seen them). What makes this big? Oh ya, a video game came out where you can hack signs. Easy to blame the game, since obviously video games are responsible for the shooting the other day also.

    All this shit boils down to is somebody assuming Correlation = Causality. It's the exact same shit we hear when some kid goes nuts and shoots up a school. It's the exact same shit we hear when Political Party A wants to discredit Political Party B.

    It's nothing new.

    Some kid gets bored and for a few laughs does a readily available trick on some road signs. Rather than figure out ways to prevent it, it's much easier and cheaper to pin point some trivial bullshit and raise a fuss about it. So, naturally when they found out this kid played a video game about hacking they found a scapegoat and focused on that. Nevermind the fact this has been going on long before this game came out. By [Insert deity here or leave blank], that game is at fault because they don't want to face the responsibility that it's their own damned fault for not better securing such a trivial thing!