Defense Department developing portable hacking device for soldiers
By Donald Melanson 
posted May 26th 2009 2:12PM
posted May 26th 2009 2:12PM
It's not exactly news that the Department of Defense is looking at ways to make hacking a more practical weapon, but it looks to really be stepping up its game with its latest project, which promises to make complicated attacks as simple as a few button presses. That would apparently be possible thanks to a slightly mysterious device that'd be small enough to carry around in a backpack, but powerful enough to do everything from breaking into a wireless network to hacking into SCADA (or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems (used at power plants, nuclear facilities, and the like). While complete details are obviously a bit light, the system would apparently be able to, for instance, map out the nodes in a wireless network, cause them to disconnect, and watch them come back online to identify weak spots. It would then present the "hacker" with various attack attributes that could simply be adjusted using sliders on a touchscreen. No word if the soldiers will also be rewarded with Achievements.
[Via Softpedia]
[Via Softpedia]
I swear, I must be psychic because I seem to get the password on my first guess about 40-50% of the time in Fallout 3. Regardless of the difficulty.
Dumb psychic, 40-50% right make you a good guesser.
Can't they just go the Bioshock route and give every soldier some auto hacks?
Now only if this was in Americas Army...
All leading up to the Nuclear Apocalypse™
Did Pepsi-Cola trademark that already? Damn it.
i believe you mean Nuka-Cola
How long until someone looses one?
Just watch Ebay, it'll show up.
I was just about to say that. If this gets leaked it's just one more thing to worry about.
(And it's loses. Not looses. Sorry, that's my pet hate)
yeah, how long will it be before these are on the black market?
@b3tan
It's pet peeve, not pet hate. (sorry, that S@#T drives me nuts :P)
I expect they use one of the standard linux-hack-on-a-cd downloads on some simple small computer, although I do assume they don't use the atom, although they are daft enough I bet.
In the industrial park where I work, I could have a lot of fun with this device. There are four secure networks that I can indentify from my desk and only one have I had any real luck in futzing with.
I wonder how long till the app shows up on thepiratebay
was i the only reader that got wood just by reading what this device can do ?
Yes.
Am I the only reader who got wood after reading what he just said?
I really hope so.
I got wood when I chopped down a tree.
zing! no but seriously this thing is awesome.
pfft, i got steel after reading this
Pffft getting wood for a script kiddie's ultimate dream I think not. However I definitely would if Angelina Jolie came with it. Zero cool can screw off.
If only it was as easy as it is in Fallout 3...
Wait, that's not how you hack?
Ah shit.
Such a waste of resources and money. If all this money were invested in infrastructure and education ...........
infrastructure maybe, but education? Maybe reform in the horrible teachers colleges are putting out or perhaps a test to become a parent, but a nicer school isn't going to change the bottom feeders of society that are dropping out.
then we'd all be smartasses getting blown up.
Right, because national defense is a waste of time, right?
Backtrack?
if you read the original article you'll see it will incorporate at least one tool from backtrack- aircrack ng.... glad to see my tip was posted up,
How long will it till its product is outsourced to China?
Dude, it's probably manufactured there!
I'm keeping my eyes on dealextreme.com! its got to pop up there one of these days
Waiting for the KIRF version. Anyone else?
That screen looks very PipBoy-esque! Does it present the soldier with a word based version of the classic "Mastermind" game like in Fallout 3?
*Facepalm* that's a Fallout screen, I certainly hope you know that. If so, your attempt at sarcasm was a horrible failure.
I see a lot of comments referencing Fallout 3, but the first thing in my mind were the Engineers from Command & Conquer...
Odd, because that screenshot is from Fallout 3 ;p
Yea, don't tell me C&C is getting to old to be used in puns for articles.
i WANT ONE!!! how sick would it be to get your hands on one of those. the military better be REALLY tight on security so none get stolen or sold or 'misplaced'
"Sorry sir, my portable haxing box took a barrage of bullets while i was in afghanistan and nothing remains of it"
*sneaks one home with him and takes over the world*
what an imagination
All I see now is blonde, brunette, redhead...
FTW
PEPBOY eh? I remeber when I got my first PEPBOY at 10...NE ways looking for my NUKA COLA Quantum.
He wants to GET INTO YOUR PANTS
....no, that's silly, he'd never fit!
Let's see how long it takes for this device to end up on the black market.
scott already said that please read.
PlanetSide'esk.
Now only if all doors could be hacked by pointing a red laser at them.
Bioshock!