Polish teen derails tram after hacking train network

[SUBMAN1]

Uhhh... WHo let this happen? THey are at the same level of fault!

-S

Polish teen derails tram after hacking train network

Turns city network into Hornby set

By John Leyden → More by this author
Published Friday 11th January 2008 11:56 GMT

A Polish teenager allegedly turned the tram system in the city of Lodz into his own personal train set, triggering chaos and derailing four vehicles in the process. Twelve people were injured in one of the incidents.


The 14-year-old modified a TV remote control so that it could be used to change track points, The Telegraph reports. Local police said the youngster trespassed in tram depots to gather information needed to build the device. The teenager told police that he modified track setting for a prank.


"He studied the trams and the tracks for a long time and then built a device that looked like a TV remote control and used it to manoeuvre the trams and the tracks," said Miroslaw Micor, a spokesman for Lodz police.


"He had converted the television control into a device capable of controlling all the junctions on the line and wrote in the pages of a school exercise book where the best junctions were to move trams around and what signals to change.


"He treated it like any other schoolboy might a giant train set, but it was lucky nobody was killed. Four trams were derailed, and others had to make emergency stops that left passengers hurt. He clearly did not think about the consequences of his actions," Micor added.


Transport command and control systems are commonly designed by engineers with little exposure or knowledge about security using commodity electronics and a little native wit. The apparent ease with which Lodz's tram network was hacked, even by these low standards, is still a bit of an eye opener.


Problems with the signalling system on Lodz's tram network became apparent on Tuesday when a driver attempting to steer his vehicle to the right was involuntarily taken to the left. As a result the rear wagon of the train jumped the rails and collided with another passing tram. Transport staff immediately suspected outside interference.


The youth, described by his teachers as an electronics buff and exemplary student, faces charges at a special juvenile court of endangering public safety.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/newt...ewthread&f=175

[jumpy]

LOL
not for the trouble caused, but that you could control the trains with a 'modified tv remote' - they ought to emply that kid as a systems designer, make him do community service at the depot. Clearly he's smart enough, if not very responsible at this point.




...duff link?

[Kapitan]

Well he will be let off and then employed by the millitery for thier special electronics projects.

[MothBalls]

Now that the press has made a vulnerability public I wouldn't doubt that other problems will arise.

[Kapitan]

I suppose in a way something good has come out of this, just think if a terrorist had got hold of the same info planted a bomb on a train then drove it near somewhere?

So even though this kid has done wrong he has highlighted the need for better security in the computer networks.

[bookworm_020]

So much for the security at the depot! Guess they're going to need some new rent a cops at the front door!