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Hacking a 'Smart' Sniper Rifle

Posted by Soulskill on from the how-the-borg-really-started dept.

An anonymous reader writes: It was inevitable: as soon as we heard about computer-aimed rifles, we knew somebody would find a way to compromise their security. At the upcoming Black Hat security conference, researchers Runa Sandvik and Michael Auger will present their techniques for doing just that. "Their tricks can change variables in the scope's calculations that make the rifle inexplicably miss its target, permanently disable the scope's computer, or even prevent the gun from firing." In one demonstration they were able to tweak the rifle's ballistic calculations by making it think a piece of ammunition weighed 72 lbs instead of 0.4 ounces. After changing this value, the gun tried to automatically adjust for the weight, and shot significantly to the left. Fortunately, they couldn't find a way to make the gun fire without physically pulling the trigger.

2 of 73 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Not that impresssed by PopeRatzo · · Score: -1, Troll

    So, it's a remote exploit in that you can do it if you're within Wi-Fi range (and the gun has it's Wi-Fi turned on)

    "Hello, Mr Zimmerman, I'm Brad from XYZ Firearms Corp and I'd like to walk you through a software update for your Smart SniperTM Rifle today that will make it much safer to use as well as 75% more accurate in hitting targets with black skin. There will be no charge for this update, but I'll need you to temporarily enable WiFi during this procedure."

    I bet you'd get very high levels of compliance from owners of "Smart SniperTM Rifles" in many areas of the US.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  2. Re:WiFi? by Demonoid-Penguin · · Score: -1, Troll

    Dear coward

    How is this worthy of a Black Hat anything? If you take a device, turn on WiFi, then you use the default password, then you can change things over the WiFi connection? Go home, "hackers", you're drunk.

    Next up, nuclear weapons can be accessed when you tell the army guarding them to go home, and leave the doors when they leave.

    Comprehension fail. Walking through a door isn't a hack. Neither is turning on a light switch (your mum was just trying to find something good to say about you). Demonstrating an unorthodox way of opening the lock without breaking it might be. Apart from rampant envy you demonstrate delusion of grandeur.

    But don't let that stop you from ordering that GENNIUS badge.