Tag Archive for: beat

Hackers Beat Anti-Repair Software Locks That Caused Train Breakdowns

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A Polish train manufacturer has threatened to sue after a group of hackers accused the company of programming its products to inhibit independent repairs. The company’s software has reportedly caused trains to break down on purpose, and its circumvention has led the manufacturer to claim a conspiracy against it.

Poland’s Rynek Olejowy reports that rail operator Lower Silesian Railways (or Koleje Dolnośląskie) has been in a spat with Newag, producer of its Impuls 45WE hybrid multiple units. In June 2022, the railroad reportedly experienced multiple no-start failures with these trainsets in unrelated circumstances. In one case, the train stopped working after sitting out of service for a period, while in another it occurred following service at an independent train repair shop, SPS. Both reportedly resulted in fewer trains running than scheduled, impacting passenger service. (One Chinese railway had a similar incident when Adobe Flash was shut down.)

Newag reportedly claimed the trains had self-deactivated when their security software had been tampered with. However, a group of benevolent “white hat” hackers called Dragon Sector who were hired by SPS to assist have offered their own explanation: Newag used DRM to frustrate third-party repair efforts.

As reported in Polish outlet Onet, Dragon Sector said the trains were programmed to engage a software lockdown if they sat stationary for more than 10 days. This is believed to be an attack on independent repair, which has become a major battleground in recent years between consumers and companies like Apple, John Deere, and many across the car industry. Right-to-repair is combated in a variety of ways, from proprietary software and encryption that can only be read by the company itself to “parts pairing” according to 404 Media—a security measure against third-party service.

Not only does this make some devices impossible for the average user to repair, but it also can stop independent shops from fixing them at a lower cost than the manufacturer would demand. In extreme cases, this can leave consumers with no recourse if a manufacturer decides the product can’t be repaired, and…

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Cyber success: Citadel cadets beat out thousands of students in the National Cyber League

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Two cadets recently competed in the virtual National Cyber League, a competition giving students a chance to practice their cybersecurity skills. They competed against students from all over the country, and both placed in the top 100 out of more than 7,500 participants. Overall, The Citadel had 52 cadets and students participate in the NCL. The competition’s activities included answering questions on niche cyber topics and completing various tasks such as cryptography, open-source intelligence and web application exploitation.

Senior cadet Ben Race placed 75th in the NCL and credited his previous experience with the NCL and other cyber competitions for his preparedness as well as his involvement on the Cyber Team at The Citadel.

“Being part of the Cyber Team has been a great opportunity. I’ve competed in unique competitions, such as the NCL, and gotten to travel to new places for them. For the NCL, I spend most of my time learning about the topics they’ll quiz me on. There’s always something new to learn,” said Race. “I’d tell any cadet considering getting a degree in cyber to get involved with the Cyber Team and other extracurriculars related to it. These clubs give you another unique and fun aspect of learning.”

Cadet Jacob T. Wood, a sophomore at The Citadel, placed 41st in the is also active in cyber-related extracurricular.

“My favorite part of being on the Cyber Team is working with other people on problem solving, so I enjoy competitions like this. My professors really helped me prepare for the NCL, and although you have to be willing to put in a lot of effort in a major like this, it’s worth it,” said Wood.

The Citadel is ranked 19 out of 470 colleges nationwide in the NCL’s Cyber Power Ranking for fall 2022. These rankings represent the ability of students to preform real-world cybersecurity tasks along with each school’s top performance and individual student performances. The Citadel’s highest scoring team took 39th place nationwide in the NCL; Cadets Race and Wood were on the team along with four other cadets – Chotipat Metreethummaporn, Nathanael Ling, Jackson All and Kirin Chaplin – as well as graduate…

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Learn how to beat hackers at their own game with this $29 data and IT security training

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Hackers are constantly improving their methods. So, if you work in cyber security, you have to keep your skills on the cutting edge, which you can easily do with the Dynamic 2022 Data and IT Security Training Bundle, offered on sale this week for $29.

This collection offers six courses that introduce students to the skills to defend against hackers. They’ll learn today’s best practices, discover how to protect a computer network, and find out what to do when an incursion occurs. And, perhaps best of all, every course is classified as beginner-friendly, which means they’re suitable for everyone interested in cyber security.

These courses are delivered via the web, so they can easily fit around a busy schedule. And they’re facilitated by instructors from Skill Success — a leader in web-based learning featured by CNN, CNET, and more — so this is a fantastic opportunity to learn from some of the best instructors in the field.

Cyber security professionals can make a killing, and when you consider that the Dynamic 2022 Data and IT Security Training Bundle costs just $5 per course, the value potential is sky-high. 

The Dynamic 2022 Data & IT Security Training Bundle – $29

See Deal

Prices subject to change.

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Russian vigilante hacker: 'I want to help beat Ukraine from my computer'

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But the BBC has learned that at least some of the cyber-attacks that afternoon and since have come not from the Kremlin but from groups of so called “patriotic” Russian hackers. They work in small …

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