2023-08-15 19:50:00
Do you think cheating on the metro is very risky? These teenagers are fearless! They even hacked the whole system.
You think that fraud in transport is too risky? These young people weren’t afraid to hack into the metro to give themselves endless free rides! We tell you everything.
A hacked subway
It’s a pretty amazing story that comes to us from the United States. While the Black Hat conference was being held, around hacking, hackers revealed that they had managed to hack a Tesla. In fact, they succeeded in take control of several features of the famous electric car.
But this week, other hackers have done even better! Or worse… it depends on the point of view. During the Defcon conference, 4 young teenagers told that they had succeeded in hacking the metro! Indeed, they hacked the transport network of the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA). Which, by the way, includes the Boston subway! Just that.
In total, they worked on this project for two years! And today, they can afford free metro, bus and tram rides throughout the city. A incredible feat for young people aged 16 and 17.
How did they pull it off? Well they just did a complete reverse engineering of the contactless smart card which is used by the transport network.
The hackers then took full control of the map. Now they can add any amount of money and designate it as a reduced rate card for seniors or students. They can even make it an MBTA employee card. This entitles them to free trips for life!
A successful challenge
These young Americans managed to hack the Boston subway and all the transportation network. All thanks to the cards they could make. “We can make any type of card” explains one of the hackers.
The young teens also created their own portable cash machine. This device with a touch screen and an RFID card sensor allows them to add the value they wish to any card.
And that’s not all ! They even incorporated the same functionality in an Android app which allows you to add credit with a single click. Amazing !
But you should know that the young people who hacked the metro did this for the challenge only. It was not at all their goal to take advantage of the unlimited cards they had created.
Moreover, they did not share the most sensitive information of their work during the presentation during the conference. However, you should know that this kind of honest hackers often share their findings with the institutions concerned.
They therefore did not hesitate to share their information with the shipping company they hacked. “The vulnerability identified by the students does not constitute an imminent security risk, system disruption or data breach” nevertheless specified the director of the metro network.
In France, this has never happened. But as the 2024 Olympic Games approach, many media are raising this question. What if the metro and RER were paralyzed by hackers? Is the French capital ready to face such an incident? As a reminder, many communities and hospitals in the Ile-de-France region have recently been victims of hackers. Case to follow very closely!
EG
Hi, I’m Emna, web editor at Tuxboard.com, specializing in people news and new technologies. I have a solid expertise in SEO writing, I combine my passions to offer you relevant and well referenced articles. I am always on the lookout for the latest trends and news to inform and entertain you. See you soon on Tuxboard!
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